Best Alternatives* [[-- Episode 1 --]]

 *Best Alternatives*

[[-- Episode 1 --]]
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ISTIKHARAH is the only permissible way to seek for Allah's guidance in taking or making decisions. While ISTIKHARAH is permissible, patronizing anyone who claims to have the knowledge of unseen is shirk.

Today,

Some people are mistaken going to find out about the knowledge of unseen to be ISTIKHARAH while in the real sense, going to ask someone about the knowledge of unseen is the biggest sin anyone can commit in this world. Yes. This is called fortunetelling (even if the person uses prayer-beeds, sand, water, mirror, palm etc to do the checking).

From the Hadith,

“Whoever goes to a fortune teller and asks him about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days” 📚Sahih Muslim

Patronizing fortuneteller (that's - people who claim to have the knowledge of unseen) and any Muslim who in any way engage in any form of shirk have thrown his or her license or membership card into dustbin. Yes. If someone else's swalah is not accepted for 40 days, then, what about the person's Dua and other acts of worships? What if the person should die between that time frame?

Now,

Even carrying out instructions from such people carry the same consequences. Yes. As i speak, some people still have charms buried in their houses or elsewhere. Some Muslims are still carrying out their instructions by giving salt, onion, colanut, used-clothes, beans cake with red oil or pepper as sadaqah. We work pass the road and see sugar or food items poured onto the ants' holes. Some women still have certain things tied on their waist to help them to secure their husband's love. Some people still have rings on their hands which according to them, is helping in gaining one favor or protection.

*ISTIKHARAH:*

Istikharah means seeking guidance as to what Allah knows is the best and most appropriate choice. Istikharah implies submission to the command of Allah and a practical demonstration that one has no power and no strength of one’s own.

It’s narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to teach the sahaba the istikhara for each and every matter as he used to teach the sahaba surahs from the Holy Qur'an 📚[Sahih al-Bukhari 6382]. The early generations would seek Allah’s guidance for many matters, including things that we may consider small.

*How to pray istikharah:*

Istikhara involves praying two non-obligatory rak'ahs followed by a specific du'a, seeking Allah’s guidance after personal effort and consultation with others who....

To be continued