Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/159)

of Istikhara and Consultation).

Istikhara is sought from Allah, while consultation is sought from people of sound judgment and righteousness. A human being is either limited in knowledge or prone to shortcomings, and man was created weak; matters may become confusing and he may hesitate. What should he do in such a case? Suppose, for example, he is thinking of travelling and is unsure whether it will be beneficial or harmful, or he wants to buy a car or a house, or to create an in-law relationship by marrying his daughter to a certain man, or something similar, yet he remains hesitant—what is the way forward?

We say that he has two courses of action:

First, he performs istikhara, seeking guidance from the Lord of all worlds, the One who knows what has been, what will be, and what has not yet occurred and how it would be were it to occur.
Second, he consults people of insight, piety, and trustworthiness.

The compiler—may Allah have mercy on him—based the legitimacy of consultation on two verses from the Book of Allah, the first of which is the Almighty’s words, “and consult them in the matter,” an address directed to the Prophet ﷺ.

Allah the Exalted says: “So pardon them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affair; and when you have resolved, then put your trust in Allah” (3:159).

Although the Prophet ﷺ possessed the keenest judgment of all people and was the most correct in opinion, he would still consult his Companions in matters that were unclear to him. Likewise, the caliphs after him used to consult those of insight and righteousness. Consequently, whoever you consult must fulfil two conditions: he must possess sound judgment

الاستخارة والمشاورة) والاستخارة مع الله، والمشاورة مع أهل الرأي والصلاح وذلك أن الإنسان عنده قصور أو تقصير والإنسان خلق ضعيفا فقد تشكل عليه الأمور وقد يتردد فيها فماذا يصنع؟ لنفرض أنه هم بسفر وتردد هل هو خير أم شر أو هم أن يشتري سيارة أو بيتا أو أن يصاهر رجلا يتزوج ابنته أو ما أشبه ذلك ولكنه متردد فماذا يصنع؟ نقول: له طريقتان: الطريق الأول: استخارة رب العالمين ﷿ الذي يعلم ما كان وما يكون وما لم يكن لو كان كيف يكون الطريق الثاني: استشارة أهل الري والصلاح والأمانة واستدل المؤلف ﵀ على المشاورة بآيتين من كتاب الله هما قوله تعالى: وشاوروهم في الأمر وهذا خطاب للنبي ﷺ. قال الله تعالى: ﴿فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الأمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللهِ﴾ وكان النبي ﷺ وهو أسد الناس رأيا وأصوبهم صوابا يستشير أصحابه في بعض الأمور التي تشكل عليه وكذلك خلفاؤه من بعده كانوا يستشيرون أهل الري والصلاح ولا بد من هذين الشرطين فيمن تستشيره أن يكون ذا رأى