What Should I Do if I Am Still Confused After Praying Istikhara for 7 Days?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

What Should One Do if One Is Still Confused After Praying Istikhara for Seven Days?

Answer

Thank you for your question. Be patient, you will come to incline a certain way, and that will be your answer, by the grace of Allah.

Istikhara

Please review the methods and reality of Istikhara here:

Istikhara, The Prayer of Seeking Guidance: The Ultimate Guide – A Reader

You should also note that not having an answer might very well be a negative answer. So, if you don’t feel the push to do it, don’t do it. I ask you to persevere and be patient, as Allah Most High has told us, “And seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, it is a burden except for the humble.” [Quran, 2:45]

Impatience

One of the etiquettes of supplication (dua) is that one not be impatient about receiving an answer. “The supplication of every one of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and say: ‘I supplicated but it was not granted.‘” [Muslim]. This applies to all supplications, including istikhara, and I ask you to review their etiquettes here:

The Reality and Etiquettes of Supplication: A Reader

Please see this excellent point about supplication as well.

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad 
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.