[9/ 63] Using the Mushaf. One opens the Mushaf randomly, if one’s eyes fell on an Ayah that talks about mercy, he would do the thing he wishes, otherwise he won’t.
[10/ 63] Some people go to Shaikhs and righteous people to do the Istikh?rah on their behalf which is a mistake!!
No doubt that those of sound sense could easily realize that all these ways are part of the forbidden fortune telling believing in which is one of the grievous sins as the ‘Ulamah strongly stated. (1)
The prophet ( - ) forbade it saying: ‘Whoever attends a fortune teller or a soothsayer and believes whatever he says [the former] has indeed disbelieved in that which was revealed on Muhammad ( - )’. (2)
He ( - ) also said: ‘Whoever attends a fortune teller, asks him about any thing and believes him, his Sal?t would not be accepted for forty days’. (3)
I wonder how could people seek such nonsense and falsehood and get away from the prophet’s ( - ) guidance??!
It is worth-mentioning here that some people violate the manner in which Sal?t is done such as: adding the du‘? false statements or believing in the necessity of setting conditions before doing the Sal?t: such as doing it in matter one is confused about, reciting the du‘? while doing Suj?d ... et.
Another mistake people make after doing Sal?t?l Istikh?rah is saying: ‘We made Istikh?rah and got no benefit’ or other
(1) See: “Al-Kb?’ir”, Grievous Sin (no. 41) (p. 141).
(2) Narrated by: Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 2 / pp. 408, 429, 476), Ab? D?w?d in “As-Sunnan” (vol. 4 / p. 15) (no. 3904), Ad-D?rim? in “As-Sunnan” (vol. 1 / p. 259), At-Tirmith? in “Al-J?mi‘” (vol. 1 / pp. 242 - 3) (no. 135), Ibn M?jah in “As-Sunnan” (vol. 1 / p. 209) (no. 639), Ibnil J?r?d in “Al-Muntaq?” (p. 58), Al-H?kim in “Al-Mustadrak” (vol. 1 / p. 8) and Al-Baihaq? in “As-Sunnan Al-Kubr?” (vol. 8 / p. 135).
Al-H?kim considered the Had?th as authentic in his “Al-Mustadrak” with which Ath-Thahab? agreed in his “At-Takhl?s” and “Al-Kab?’ir” (p. 141) and so did Al-‘Ir?q? in his “’Am?l?” -as reported in “Faydul Qad?r” (vol. 6 / p. 23).
(3) Narrated by: Muslim in his “Sah?h” (vol. 4 / p. 1751) (no. 2230).