Assalamu Alaikum
Istikhara is a particular form of prayer which is nothing more than a normal Dua in which a person prays to Allah swt to guide him/her to reach a right decision. It is not necessarily the case that in response to an Istikhara Allah swt will give an answer in the form of a dream but the answer can also be in the form of a gut feeling or a sense of realization which when considered on the balance of other research and external factors may guide you in the right direction.
A dream should not be considered an absolute answer towards a particular direction but as guidance as within the Shariah a dream is not the binding proof of something. Istikhara enables the relevant person to make a decision which is good for him/her in this world or the hereafter or both.But future is based on the arbitrary
will of Allah, and
no one can predict what Allah's decision will be.
"Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what he will earn tomorrow: Nor does any one know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things)." [
Sûrah Luqmân: 34]
" Say (O Muhammad): No one in the heavens and the earth knows the Unseen but Allah; and they know not when they will be raised (again)." [
Sûrah al-Naml: 65]
Istikhara does not mean that a person should abandon the consideration of all other matters relevant to the situation so a person should weigh up all the pros and cons to reach a correct decision even after making it.This means that after making Istikhara you must use your own intelligence, and weigh up the situation and think through the possible consequences of any actions you take with the help of research and other people’s advice. It is again going back to the old ‘
have trust in Allah but also tie your camel’ philosophy.
Read more:
http://www.albalagh.net/qa/istikharah_marriage.shtml
http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-...-istikharah-how-to-read-the-answer.html?Soul=
May Allah makes things easy for you,Aameen