Istikharah and Istisharah: The two steps before your next career move

In brief:

• • Istikharah means seeking Allah’s guidance through two raka’at of sunnah prayer and a special dua, asking for what is best for your faith, livelihood and future.
• • Istisharah means consulting people with knowledge and experience, following the Quran (Surah Ali ‘Imran, 3:159) and the Prophet’s s.a.w. practice of seeking advice.
• • Before a career move, do both: make your effort, seek counsel and pray Istikharah, then place your trust in Allah s.w.t.
   

You’ve received a job offer. The salary looks promising, the role seems exciting and it could be the career opportunity you’ve been waiting for. But how do you know if it’s the right decision?

Perhaps you’re weighing two job offers, considering leaving your current workplace or wondering whether a particular career aligns with your faith and values.

Making career decisions is not always straightforward. While qualifications, experience and opportunities matter, Islam also teaches us to make sincere efforts (ikhtiar) while placing our trust (tawakkul) in Allah s.w.t.

Two important Islamic practices can guide us through this process: Istikharah (seeking Allah’s guidance) and Istisharah (seeking advice through consultation).

What is Istikharah?

Istikharah means seeking Allah’s guidance in making a decision. This was the practice of the Sahabah and the scholars, who would pray Istikharah for even the smallest of affairs, reminding us of the importance of turning to Allah s.w.t. when making choices.

When faced with an important decision, we may spend considerable time comparing salaries, researching companies and weighing the advantages of each opportunity. These are important efforts. However, Istikharah reminds us that beyond our knowledge and planning, Allah s.w.t. knows what is ultimately best for us.

How do you perform Solat Istikharah?

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. taught us to seek Allah’s guidance through prayer. In a hadith narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah r.a, the Prophet s.a.w. instructed those considering a matter to perform two raka’at of voluntary prayer, followed by the supplication of Istikharah.

The full dua of Istikharah:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ،
فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي،
فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ

وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي،
فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

“O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge and power from Your might, and I ask You from Your tremendous favour. Verily, You have power and I do not have power, and You know and I do not know. You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter is good for my religion, my livelihood and my fate, or if it is better for my present and latter needs, then decree it for me, make it easy for me and bless me in it. But if You know this matter is evil for my religion, my livelihood and my fate, or if it is worse for my present and latter needs, then divert it from me, keep me away from it, decree what is good for me, and then make me content with it.”

(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet s.a.w. also instructed the person to mention their particular need.

The supplication reminds us of an important truth: we may know what we want, but only Allah knows what is ultimately best for us. When making a career decision, Istikharah is therefore not simply about asking whether we will get the job. It is about seeking what is good for our faith, livelihood and future.

What is Istisharah in Islam?

While Istikharah involves seeking Allah’s guidance through prayer, Istisharah encourages us to seek advice from others who can offer knowledge and experience.

The Quran highlights the importance of consultation. Allah s.w.t. says,

فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ

“So pardon them, and ask (Allah’s) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs.”

(Surah Ali ‘Imran, 3:159)

This verse reflects the sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w, who consulted his companions on significant matters, including battle strategies, such as the placement of camps and how to intercept the enemy during the Battle of Badr. His example highlights the importance of seeking advice and considering different perspectives when making decisions.

Putting Istikharah and Istisharah into practice

Istikharah and Istisharah complement one another. While we seek Allah’s guidance through prayer, we also consult others and take practical steps to understand our options and make informed decisions.

But how can we bring these practices together when considering our next career move?

The Youth Meets Career Playbook, developed by Al-Falah Mosque and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), offers practical guidance to help young Muslims navigate career decisions while staying grounded in their faith and values.

Whether you are choosing your first job, considering a career change or weighing new opportunities, the playbook provides useful perspectives to help you approach these decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

Download the MuslimSG app on the App Store & Google Play. Articles on MuslimSG may be reproduced electronically or in print with prior permission from MuslimSG. Proper credit must be given to the author(s) and MuslimSG.