Istikhara: "..then turn me away from it, and turn it away from me."

How many of us have actually looked at the wording of the Istikhaara dua and pondered over its meanings?  One of the most amazing part of it, to me, is the following:

فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ
"...then turn me away from it, and turn it away from me.."

If you just spend some time thinking about these 2 short phrases and their meaning, how then can you not feel happy and content when something is removed from your path and your life?  These lines come after you having asked Allah that if the matter is good for you both in this world and the hereafter then to ordain it for you.

If we truly had tawakkul, instead of being sad or becoming depressed when a matter goes against us after having made istikhaara, we would instead be thankful and feel happy.

Say for example you made istikhaara about taking a certain job but then you started to see hurdles in your path, like your visa being rejected, the company changing terms & conditions etc.  Or for example you made istikhaara for marriage to a certain brother or sister and then they started to put obstacles, like: saying no all of a sudden, stipulating unreasonable conditions in the Nikkah, the family asking you to compromise on your deen etc.  Or anything else you may make istikhaara for, yes, istikhaara is not just limited to marriage!  Of course, you try to challenge and break down these hurdles, but, there has to come a time when you realise and accept that this is the answer to:

فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ
"...then turn me away from it, and turn it away from me.."

This is the Mercy of Allah.  So be happy my brother or sister, Allah wants the best for you, He knows what we do not.

Know that Allah is either delaying this thing you want or removing it from you completely. And there is good in both. If He is delaying it then you will know the reason behind it when it does happen, so have patience. If He is removing it from your life, then be content and be sure that He has something a lot better lined up for you.  How do I know this?  Simply by understanding the last part of the very dua we recite:

وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِهِ
"… and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it…"