Best Alternatives* [[-- Episode 4 --]]

 *Best Alternatives*

[[-- Episode 4 --]]
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The key to the unseen knowledge and everything hidden in this world is in the hands of Allah (swt).

Evidence:

۞وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ

"And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him..." 📚Al-An'am 6:59

For this reason,

Anyone who (for any reason) go for checking why so so and happened or what will happen in future have not only committed the biggest of all sins but will (1) have his/her 40 days swalah rejected (2) will spend money without having aim achieved. Yes. Because we have seen many people not getting what they wanted even after following the evil way.

Muslim Faithful,

ISTIKHARAH is the only permissible way to seek for Allah's guidance in taking or making decisions. Also, if you can not say istikharah Du'a in Arabic, you can say it in English or any language (as translated in the previous episodes).

Now,

*How long does istikhara take?*

Consider how the du’a of istikhara asks Allah to either make a matter easy and blessed for us or to remove it if it is not good. Imagine planning to make a purchase, only for the contract to fall through, or planning to take a halal loan, only to find that it is no longer necessary. The essence of the istikhara du’a is seeking ease in our affairs, and sometimes that ease comes swiftly. At other times, the desired decision or outcome might take time to manifest. Delays in answered prayers often lead to outcomes far better than initially anticipated.
Take, for instance, Zakariya’s (as) prolonged wait for parenthood, which allowed him to care for Maryam (as). Or consider the Prophet’s ﷺ delayed Hajj, which led to the significant Treaty of Hudaibiyah, eventually resulting in the conquest of Makkah. The timing of istikhara du’a's response should not be a source of concern. Instead, one should cherish the closeness to Allah that develops while actively taking steps and trusting in His wisdom.

Furthermore,

The question of whether things change with time touches upon the deeper concept of qadar. Often, the immediate outcomes of our actions may not seem favorable, yet they are part of Allah’s grand design for our personal and spiritual growth. Perhaps, your istikhara was answered in a certain way for a period, only for the subsequent events to unfold in a manner that seems wholly negative. Does this imply a misunderstanding of your istikhara? Not at all, for istikhara is not about immediate clarity or guaranteed ease in life; there is no idea of a “positive istikhara” or “negative istikhara”. It is a request for divine guidance, and sometimes Allah’s guidance leads us through challenging paths to foster resilience and patience within us. Trials and rejections are often the crucible in which our spiritual and mental fortitude is forged, drawing us nearer to Allah and strengthening our faith.

*Istikhara for marriage and love:*

To be continued