A'salamu A'laikum:
I want to know a short overview about Istekhara prayer (the prayer you pray when you are not sure what to choose). I an Arabic woman but I do not know how to express it to an American woman clearly. Can Anyone help me, please?
I found this on the internet. I hope its of some benefit?
Salat-l-Istikhara
This "prayer for guidance" is often used to help in important decision-making
Anytime a Muslim is making a decision, he or she should seek Allah's guidance and wisdom. Allah alone knows what is best for us, and there may be good in what we perceive as bad, and bad in what we perceive as good.
If you are ambivalent or unsure about a decision you have to make, there is a specific prayer for guidance (Salat-l-Istikhara) that you can do to ask for Allah's help in making your decision. Should you marry this certain person? Should you attend this graduate school? Should you take this job offer or that one? Allah knows what is best for you, and if you are not sure about a choice that you have, seek His guidance.
The Prophet Muhammad said, "If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles (rak'atain) of voluntary prayer." Then he/she should say the following du'a:
Translation:
Oh Allah! I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power; I have none. And You know; I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things.
Oh Allah! If in Your knowledge, (this matter*) is good for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge, (this matter*) is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And ordain for me the good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.
* When making the du'a, the actual matter or decision should be mentioned instead of the words "hathal-amra" ("this matter").
Wassalamalykum wa rahmatullah
Abu Ishaaq Nadeem ibn Mohammad Ahsan-shah
((من كظم غيظاً و هو قادر أن ينفذه دعاه الله على رؤوس الخلائق حتى يخيره من الحور العين يزوجه منها ما يشاء))
[صحيح الجامع رقم 6522]
Supplication for seeking guidance in forming a decision or choosing the proper course.
(Al-Istikhaarah)
On the authority of Jaabir Ibn ?Abdullah he said: The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Qur?an. He (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would say ?if any of you intends to undertake a mater then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rak?ah naafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:
?O Allaah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allaah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it , and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.?
(Bukhari 7/162)
One who seeks guidance from his Creator and consults his fellow believers and then remains firm in his resolve does not regret for Allaah has said:
??and consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allaah??(Aal-Imraan 3:159)