26.

The Book of Marriage

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كتاب النكاح

Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) narrated that the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to teach his Companions to perform Istikharah ( َُ ةاِسْتِخَار) in all matters, just as he used to teach them Surahs from the Qur'an. He said, 'if any one of you is deliberating about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two Rak'ah of non-obligatory prayer, then say - َِ يرُكاللههُمه إِن ِي أَسْتَخ َبِعِلْمِك َُ تِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنهكَ تَقْدِرُ وَالَ أَقْدِرُ وَ تَعْلَمُ وَالَ أَعْلَموَأَسْتَعِينُكَ بِقُدْر وَأَنْتَ عَالهمُ الْغُيُوبِ اللههُمه إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنه ََ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أهَذَا األَمْر ِ يمْر- ِِ لِهِ ي وَآجِ لِ أَمْرْ قَالَ فِي عَاجأَو- ِْ كْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ هُ لِي ثُمه بَارْ هُ لِي وَ يَس ِرفَاقْدُر ِ يٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرَ شَركُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنه هَذَا األَمْر- ِِ لِهِ ي وَآجِ لِ أَمْرْ قَالَ فِي عَاجأَو- ِفَاصْر ُِ فْنِي عَنْهفْهُ عَن ِي وَاصْر ِِ نِي بِهْ ضَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمه أَرْ لِي الْخَيْروَاقْدُر- َقَال- ُوَ يُسَم ِي حَاجَتَه [O Allah, I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (it should be mentioned by name) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my affairs (both in this world and in the Hereafter), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood, and my affairs (for me both in this world and the next), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it].