Numerical Istekhaarah

Text and Translation

In his book entitled al-Zikra, Shaykh al-Shaheed, may Allah have mercy upon him, says:

One of its famous types is the numerical Istekhaarah, which was, however, not famous in the past ages before the time of the great Sayyid of Aamil (i.e. southern Lebanon), Razi al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Awi al-Husayni, the neighbor of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a.s.) in the holy city of al-Najaf. May Allah have mercy upon him.

Just like all of his reports, I have reported this type of Istekhaarah from him according to the following chain of authority: A number of our mentors have reported on the authority of the grand and virtuous Shaykh Jamal al-Din ibn al-Mutahhar on the authority of his father, may Allah be pleased with both of them, on the authority of Sayyid Razi al-Deen on the authority of the Patron of the Matter; Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) who said:

[Surah al-Faatehah](A5) is repeated ten times, or at least three times, or at the least one time. Then [Surah al-Qadr](A101) is repeated ten times and then this supplicatory prayer is repeated three times:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنّىْۤ اَسْتَخِيْرُكَ لِعِلْمِكَ بِعَاقِبَةِ الْاُمُوْرِ

ALLAAHUMMA INNEEE ASTAKHEEROKA LE-I’LMEKA BE-A’AQEBATIL OMOORE

O Allah, indeed I seek the best choice from You due to Your knowledge of the outcomes of all affairs,

وَ اَسْتَشِيْرُكَ لِحُسْنِ ظَنِّىْ بِكَ فِى الْمَاْمُوْلِ وَ الْمَحْذُوْرِ

WA ASTASHEEROKA LE-HUSNE ZANNEE BEKA FIL MA-MOOLE WAL MAHZOORE

and I seek Your counsel because of my good expectation of You regarding what is hoped for and what is feared.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كَانَ الْاَمْرُ الْفُلَانِىُّ مِمَّا قَدْ نِيْطَتْ بِالْبَرَكَةِ اَعْجَازُهٗ

ALLAAHUMMA IN KAANAL AMRUL FOLAANIYYO MIMMAA QAD NEETAT BIL-BARAKATE A-A’JAAZOHU

O Allah, if this specific matter is among those whose beginnings

وَ بَوَادِيْهِ وَ حُفَّتْ بِالْكَرَامَةِ اَيَّامُهٗ وَ لَيَالِيْهِ فَخِرْلِىْ

WA BAWAADEEYOHU WA HUFFAT BIL-KARAAMATE AYYAAMOHU WA LAYAALEEHE FAKHIR LEE

and ends are intertwined with blessings, and whose days and nights are surrounded by honor, then decree it as the best choice for me,

اَللّٰهُمَّ فِيْهِ خِيَرَةً تَرُدُّ شُمُوْسَهٗ ذَلُوْلًا وَّ تَقْعَضُ اَيَّامَهٗ سُرُوْرًا

ALLAAHUMMA FEEHE KHEYARATAN TARUDDO SHOMOOSAHU ZALOOLANW WA TAQ-A’ZO AYYAAMAHU SOROORAN

O Allah—a choice that tames its difficulties and turns its days into joy.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِمَّا اَمْرٌ فَائْتَمِرَ وَ اِمَّا نَهْىٌ فَاَنْتَهِىَ

ALLAAHUMMA IMMAA AMRUN FA-TAMERA WA IMMAA NAHYUN FA-ANTAHEYA

O Allah, if it is a command [to proceed], then bid me to do so, and if it is a prohibition, then let me desist.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْتَخِيْرُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ خِيَرَةً فِىْ عَافِيَةٍ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE ASTAKHEEROKA BE-RAHMATEKA KHEYARATAN FEE A’AFEYATIN.

O Allah, indeed I seek the best choice from You, by Your mercy—a choice accompanied by well-being and protection.

Then, a portion of the rosary is held with the hand while the issue for which the Istekhaarah has been done is kept hidden in the mind. If the number of the beads in the portion held by the hand comes to be even, this will be a sign to do what has been intended to do. If conversely the number of the beads comes to be odd, this will be a sign not to do what has been intended to do, or the opposite, according to the way already decided by the doer of the Istekhaarah (i.e. he, before entering into this Istekhaarah, must first of all decide that the even number will be considered order to do and the odd will be considered warning against it, or the opposite).

In a previous section of this book; namely, Some Highly Recommended Prayers, I have referred to the Prayer of Istekhaarah with Sheets, other types of Istekhaarah, and the best times of it.