Salah (prayer) for Istikharah (asking Allah to Choose for One What Is Good)

“I said to abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. Do you advise if I travel by land or by sea? Our road is very dangerous and frightening.’ The Imam said, ‘Travel by land but there is no offense, if you go to the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah; perform two Rak‘at Salah (prayer) in a time other than that for obligatory Salah (prayer). Thereafter ask Allah, one hundred times, to choose for you the best, then see what comes in your mind. If Allah has decided for you by sea, then say the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “He said, ‘Go onboard in the name of Allah who sets it afloat and anchors it down. My Lord is forgiving and merciful’” (11:41). If you find the sea turbulent then lean on your right side and say, “In the name of Allah, calm down with the serenity of Allah, rest by the dignity of Allah and quiet down by the permission of Allah. There is no means and power without help from Allah.’” “We then asked him, ‘What is al-Sakinah (serenity)?’ The Imam said, ‘It is a wind that comes out of paradise and has a face like the face of man and it has a fine fragrance. It is this wind that descended down to Ibrahim (Abraham) and circled around al-Bayt (Ka’bah) when he was placing the pillars.’ It was asked: ‘Is it of that which Allah, the Most Majestic, the most Glorious, speaks, “In it there is Sakinah from your Lord, and remainder of that which people of Moses left and so did people of Harun (Aaron) ’”(2: 246). The Imam said, ‘That al-Sakinah was in the Ark (chest) in which there was a tray wherein the hearts of prophets had been washed. And the Ark circled among the children of Israel with the prophets and then it came to us.’ He asked, ‘What is your Ark?’ We said, ‘It is the armaments.’ He then said, ‘You are right. That is your Ark.’ The Imam said, ‘If you travel by land, then say what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has said, “Free of all defects is the One who has made it subservient to us, otherwise, we could not reach it (our destination). To our Lord we all return.” (42:13-14) If any servant (of Allah) says it during his riding he will not, by the permission of Allah, fall off his camel or horse or get hurt.’ He then said, ‘When you come out of your home say, “In the name of Allah, I believe in Allah, I assign Allah as my attorney, there is no means and power without the help of Allah.” The angels strike the face of Satans and say to them, ‘He has spoken the name of Allah, believed in Allah and has assigned Allah as his attorney and has said, “There is no means and power without the help of Allah.’””