Q.1. A satellite TV channel runs a program called Istikharah in which a certain person listens to people’s problems and then comes up with answers the following week, telling everyone with a particular problem what option to follow, or what course of action to take. He does so after he had performed the istikharah prayer. Is this acceptable? Is it not true to say that the istikharah prayer is a personal thing? How can this man come up with answers to all these people?
A.1. The istikharah is a form of prayer which we are strongly recommended by the Prophet, peace be upon him, to offer, seeking God’s help in choosing between two or more courses of action, or choosing one of several options. It is merely a request to God to help us choose the right thing for us.
The prayer consists of offering two voluntary rak’ahs followed by a supplication that says: “My Lord! I appeal to You on the basis of Your knowledge and seek Your help with Your power, as You know while I do not know, and You are able while I am helpless, and You certainly know what is beyond the reach of human knowledge. My Lord! If You know this particular matter (one should specify the thing in question) is good for me with respect to my religion and my life, and in my present and future, then facilitate it for me and make it easy for me to choose it, and grant me Your blessings in choosing it. But if You know this particular matter (one names it again) is bad for me with respect to my religion and my life, and in my present and future, then keep it away from me and keep me away from it. Choose what is good for me wherever it happens to be and make me content with it.”
As you see, it is clear that this supplication confirms our reliance on God and trust in Him. We should follow it with the full trust that God chooses what is best for us. How do we know His choice? Some people stress that we would see a dream that indicates to us the better choice.
This may happen, but it is not what we should rely on, because we may not see such a dream. We take the option or the course of action that appears to be easy or facilitated for us. Thus, if you have done the istikharah about something, and then you tried a course of action but find it difficult, or the door you knock at seems closed, then you abandon that option. You follow the easier one and trust to God that He has chosen it for you. Even if it does not turn out to be as good as you had expected, you should trust that it is the better option. Had you chosen the other alternative, you would have suffered a greater loss, or endured a greater difficulty.
It is permissible and good to help other people in doing the istikharah, but a close relative or a close friend does this. This should be an additional one to the istikharah prayer offered by the person most immediately concerned. We should remember that our relation with God is a personal and individual one. God always welcomes everyone who turns to Him. No one is barred from God. He answers our prayers, as He has promised to do. We should never hesitate to pray Him for anything we want. He is generous and kind. So we ask Him and He gives us out of His grace and bounty.
Now, what this program offers is to do this prayer on behalf of other people, placing a certain person as a sort of intermediary with God. This is not right, no matter how devout this person is. To start with, he cannot begin to understand the sort of problem every viewer has. He has to rely on how people put it to him. Some of them are not expressive. Some do not mention important details. How can he feel their need? And then what does he do? If he is honest, he goes and prays the istikharah on their behalf. Up to this point, the matter is all right. But then, how does he know the answer to the problem? Will he see a dream for every viewer? Or will he have some inspiration from God? This is what is totally unacceptable, because it implies that he is an intermediary with God on people’s behalf. God does not authorize any person to act in this capacity. God wants everyone to address Him directly. He says to the Prophet: “When My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the prayer of anyone who calls on Me. Let them, then, believe in Me and respond to My call so that they may be rightly-guided.” (2: 186) He also says: “Your Lord says: Pray Me and I will answer You.” (40: 60) You see clearly that no intermediaries are needed. The link with God is both direct and personal. No need for anyone.