قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَآلهْ:
إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَن تَتَفَأَلَ بِكِتَابِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَاقْرَأْ سُوْرَةَ الإِخْلاَصِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ صَلِّ عَلىَ النَّبِيِّ وَآلِهِ ثَلاَثاً ثُمَّ قُلْ: ((أَللهُمَّ تَفَأَلْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ وَتَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَرِنِي مِنْ كِتَابِكَ مَا هُوَ مَكْتُومٌ مِنْ سِرِّكَ الْمَكْنُونِ فِي غَيْبِكَ)) ثُمَّ افْتَحْ الْجَامِعَ وَخُذِ الْفَالَ مِنَ الْخَطِّ الأَوَّلِ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الأَوَّلِ.
The Prophet of Allah (s) said: "Whenever you want to seek the best by the Book of Allah, the Glorious and Great, recite Surah al‑Ikhlas three times send blessings on the Prophet and his family three times, then say:
((أَللهُمَّ تَفَأَلْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ وَتَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَرِنِي مِنْ كِتَابِكَ مَا هُوَ مَكْتُومٌ مِنْ سِرِّكَ الْمَكْنُونِ فِي غَيْبِكَ))
‘O Allah! I am seeking the best by Your Book and I am relying upon You so show me from Your book that what is written from Your secrets and known from your Unseen Knowledge.' Then open the Qur’an and take what is best for you from beginning of the first line on the right side page. "
There is no problem or religious taboo in performing the Istikhara by the Qur'an since asking Allah for the best ‑ whether it be by the Qur'an or Tasbih beads is permitted when a person can not come to a conclusion.
After reciting the supplications asking Allah 30 for the best, research and investigation, and having asked others for advice, if one is still in doubt and indecisive whether to perform or to leave a certain task, then in this scenario he is permitted to turn to Allah , and either through the Tasbih beads or the Qur'an, seek guidance (from Allah ). If the Istikhara comes out "good", then one should perform the task and be at ease; and if it comes out "bad", then one should put complete trust and reliance upon Allah and not go through with one's plans.14
The method of determining whether the outcome is `good' or `bad' from the Qur'an is that after all the etiquette and conditions of performing the Istikhara by the Qur'an have been fulfilled, if the verse that comes is one that contains a command to something good, a description of the Believers, the rewards of those who will dwell in Paradise, or the glad tidings of Paradise ‑ then that Istikhara will indicate `good' and one should proceed with the intended act with peace in his heart.
However, if the verse that comes mentions the anger or punishment of Allah , prohibition from evil, descriptions of the non‑Believers and hypocrites, explanation or description of the punishment of hell ‑ then one should seek refuge with Allah and should not perform the intended task.
If the verse that comes is one in between these two types, then the Istikhara should be taken as neutral.
إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَن تَتَفَأَلَ بِكِتَابِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَاقْرَأْ سُوْرَةَ الإِخْلاَصِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ صَلِّ عَلىَ النَّبِيِّ وَآلِهِ ثَلاَثاً ثُمَّ قُلْ: ((أَللهُمَّ تَفَأَلْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ وَتَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَرِنِي مِنْ كِتَابِكَ مَا هُوَ مَكْتُومٌ مِنْ سِرِّكَ الْمَكْنُونِ فِي غَيْبِكَ)) ثُمَّ افْتَحْ الْجَامِعَ وَخُذِ الْفَالَ مِنَ الْخَطِّ الأَوَّلِ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الأَوَّلِ.
The Prophet of Allah (s) said: "Whenever you want to seek the best by the Book of Allah, the Glorious and Great, recite Surah al‑Ikhlas three times send blessings on the Prophet and his family three times, then say:
((أَللهُمَّ تَفَأَلْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ وَتَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَرِنِي مِنْ كِتَابِكَ مَا هُوَ مَكْتُومٌ مِنْ سِرِّكَ الْمَكْنُونِ فِي غَيْبِكَ))
‘O Allah! I am seeking the best by Your Book and I am relying upon You so show me from Your book that what is written from Your secrets and known from your Unseen Knowledge.' Then open the Qur’an and take what is best for you from beginning of the first line on the right side page. "
There is no problem or religious taboo in performing the Istikhara by the Qur'an since asking Allah for the best ‑ whether it be by the Qur'an or Tasbih beads is permitted when a person can not come to a conclusion.
After reciting the supplications asking Allah 30 for the best, research and investigation, and having asked others for advice, if one is still in doubt and indecisive whether to perform or to leave a certain task, then in this scenario he is permitted to turn to Allah , and either through the Tasbih beads or the Qur'an, seek guidance (from Allah ). If the Istikhara comes out "good", then one should perform the task and be at ease; and if it comes out "bad", then one should put complete trust and reliance upon Allah and not go through with one's plans.14
The method of determining whether the outcome is `good' or `bad' from the Qur'an is that after all the etiquette and conditions of performing the Istikhara by the Qur'an have been fulfilled, if the verse that comes is one that contains a command to something good, a description of the Believers, the rewards of those who will dwell in Paradise, or the glad tidings of Paradise ‑ then that Istikhara will indicate `good' and one should proceed with the intended act with peace in his heart.
However, if the verse that comes mentions the anger or punishment of Allah , prohibition from evil, descriptions of the non‑Believers and hypocrites, explanation or description of the punishment of hell ‑ then one should seek refuge with Allah and should not perform the intended task.
If the verse that comes is one in between these two types, then the Istikhara should be taken as neutral.
Notes:
14. Taken from the Tafsir of the Qur'an by `Allamah Taba'taba'i ‑ Volume 6, Page 188
