As a Muslim Arab, it grieves my heart to learn of such horrid atrocities that happened recently in the past 70 years to our brethren People of the Book…in a century of understanding, industrial ingenuity, and modern civility.

Let it be known that Muslims cry over this genocide and we wish no heritage suffer such cultural upheaval and bitter torture. We will not tolerate injustice to anyone on earth, be it Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or otherwise. This is the way of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Gandhi, Jesus, and the great thinkers of our time.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) reminds us in one story “Irbut wa tawakkal” or in other words tie your camel and put your assurance in God; do what you have to and leave the rest to Allah. I also recall his saying (PBUH): “Istakheer oo istasheer” or in other words seek guidance (from God), as in make Duaa’ Al Istikharah preceded by 2 rak’aat of Salat Al Istikharah, and follow up by seeking counsel (from others)…as in ask around and get advice from people around you of wisdom.

As for the proof for the permissibility of Istikharah, Imam al-Bukhari narrates in his Saheeh through various sources: ‘The Prophet (PBUH) used to teach us al-Istikharah (seeking of guidance) in all of our affairs, like he would teach us a Soorah of the Qur’an saying:

‘If any of you is concerned about an affair, then let him pray two rakahs other than the obligatory prayers after which he should supplicate: ‘O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and I seek Your assistance by Your Power and I ask You from Your immense favor, for verily you are able while I am not, and verily You know and I do not, and You are the knower of the unseen. O Allah if You know this affair is to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life and end (or he said my present and my future), then decree and facilitate it for me and bless me with it. And if You know this affair to be detrimental (harmful) for me concerning my religion, my life and end (or he said my present and my future), then remove it from me and remove me from it and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with it.’ And he mentions his need.’”

The duaa’ transliteration is:
“Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam, wa anta ‘allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta ta’lamu haadha’l-amra (then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi ‘aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta ta’lamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri (or: fi ‘aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni ‘anhu [wasrafhu 'anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi.”

The duaa’ translation is:
“O Allah if You know this affair to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life and end (or he said my present and my future), then decree and facilitate it for me and bless me with it. And if You know this affair to be detrimental for me concerning my religion, my life and end (or he said my present and my future), then remove it from me and remove me from it and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with it.”

So in summary, the steps involved with Istikharah are:

1. Being concerned about an affair (the basis for Istikharah)
2. Praying 2 rak’aat with the intention of making it the prayer of Istikharah 2. Making Istikharah and asking for advice
3. Reliance upon Allah
4. Then the one making Istikharah acting according to what he considers to be correct

May Allah accept your duaa’ and lighten your burden. Ameen.