In the light of the Holy Hadith

How to Make Effective Decisions?

“O Allaah, if You know this affair to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it. If You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such”
(Al-Bukhari, Hadith Number – 6382)

Dear brothers and sisters,
Whenever it is time to take a decision, many of us become confused and hesitant, and this often results in headache. Whenever presented with choices, a Muslim should consult others and ask Allah as the hadith mentioned above. Because, on the authority of Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah, he said: The Prophet (pbuh) would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Qur’an. He would say ‘if any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two rak’ah naafilah prayer and after which he should supplicate as the hadith mentioned above.
We should think before making a final decision or before taking the first step in any given direction. Here thinking means brainstorming, analyzing, drawing from your experience of how best to go about a certain course of action and really taking the time to measure the implications of your decision. After thinking when you will convince that, one is better than another, then you should take action without wavering. Then the time for consultation and planning is over and the time for action begins.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) consulted the Muslims on the day of Uhud. They advised him to go out for battle, so he put on his armor and took his sword. When his companions said, “Perhaps we have forced you to go out O’ Messenger of Allah? Maybe you should stay in Madinah”, then the Messenger answered, “It is not for a Prophet to don his armor for battle and then take it off before Allah makes a judgment between him and his enemy.”

Jobayer Al Mahmud
Student, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey