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Sleeping, talking and eating after performing Istikhaarah prayer

Question

Assalamalikum,
Could you please tell me the correct way of Isthikara prayer .I have been told that one should do this as the last thing before sleeping and not talk or eat after isthikhara prayers and sleep facing the Kabaa.Thanks

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

We have already issued Fatwa 81434 on the method of performing Istikhaarah prayer, so please refer to it. As regards saying that one should not talk or eat, and he should sleep after praying Istikhaarah then there is no evidence on this in the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as far as we know. Indeed no scholar has ever stated that it is an obligation not to eat or drink after performing Istikhaarah prayer or that this is desirable. Therefore, believing in this in an innovation in religion as it is legislating what Allaah and His Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) have not legislated. It might be that whoever has invented this statement has linked Istikhaarah prayer with seeing a dream when asleep, and this is an innovation.

Allaah Knows best.

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