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There is a difference between Salat al-Istikhara,which is the Guidance
Prayer, and Salat al-Hajah, the Prayer of Need. So how do you know
which one you should pray in your situation?
You should pray Salat al-Istikahara when you aretrying to determine
the best course of action in any situation. Maybe you are trying to
decide between two different important life paths, or you have been
offered an opportunity and you don'tknow if you should take it.Salat
al-Istikhara is a prayer to ask Allah to bring you the best outcome,
and keep evil faraway from you.
On the other hand, Salat al-Hajah is simply to ask Allah to help you
with some pressing need. It's not about making choices or decisions.
Here is some information about Salat al-Hajah, written by Faraz
Rabbani for SunniPath:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, and all blessings
and peace upon our master Muhammad, his Folk, Companions and those who
follow their noble way,
Abullah ibn Abi Awfa (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the
Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "Whoever
has a need with Allah, or with any human being, then letthem perform
ritual ablutions well and then pray two rakats. After that,let them
praise Allah and send blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and
give him peace). After this, let them say,
لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين
أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ
وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وَالسَّلامَةَ مِنْ كُلّإِثْمٍ
لا تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبًا إِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلا هَمًّا إِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ
وَلا حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضًا إِلا قَضَيْتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ
الرَّاحِمِينَ
There there no god but Allah the Clement and Wise.
There is no god but Allahthe High and Mighty.
Glory be to Allah, Lord of the Tremendous Throne.
All praise is to Allah, Lordof the worlds.
I ask you (O Allah) everything that leads to your mercy, and your
tremendous forgiveness,enrichment in all good, and freedom from all
sin.
Do not leave a sin of mine (O Allah), except that you forgive it, nor
any concern except that you create for it an opening, nor any need in
which there is your good pleasure except that you fulfill it, O Most
Merciful!"
[Related by Tirmidhi and Ibn Maja. The hadith has some weakness, but
such hadiths are acted upon forvirtuous deeds (fada'il al-a`mal) by
general agreement of Sunni scholarship]
The prayer of need is very simple: It is essentially to raise one's
need to Allah Most High, by performing ritual ablution (wudu), praying
2 rakats (or four), and then making whole-hearted dua to Allah. If one
uses the abovementioned Prophetic supplication, or other similar
supplicationstransmitted from the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah
bless him and give him peace), it is best. [Ibrahim al-Halabi, Sharh
Munyat al-Musalli; al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
The inward manners of supplication is exhibiting our neediness and
absolute slavehood to Allah, consigning one's matters to Allah, and
knowing that the only onewho gives or benefits is Allah Most High.
With this, one should be certain that Allah Most High answers our
duas, but in the way He knows is best for us.
When circumstances do not permit us to pray 2 rakats, one should still
turn to Allah in supplication, raising one's needs to Him, for He
answers our supplications and loves being asked.
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
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