Colours in an istikhara dream: green, white, black and red

Many people who pray istikhara wake up wondering what colour they saw in their dream. Before the colours, one important point: in the Sunnah, istikhara is a prayer and a dua asking Allah to choose what is good (Sahih al-Bukhari 1162). The hadith does not mention a dream or colours as a condition.

Where do the colour readings come from?

The colour readings of istikhara dreams are not based on the Quran or authentic hadith. They spread later through popular books and oral tradition. So treat a colour not as a ruling but, at most, as a light sign that supports the leaning of your heart. The real result of istikhara is that your heart settles on one side and Allah makes the good easy.

The common colour readings

• White: Seen as purity and good; read as a positive answer.
• Green: Seen as good, blessing and peace. The Quran describes the garments of the people of Paradise as green (al-Kahf 18:31), which is why the tradition counts it among the best colours.
• Blue and light colours: Mostly read as ease and good.
• Black: Read as the matter not being good for you, or as a sign to give it up.
• Red: Counted in the tradition as a sign of trouble or danger; read as a sign to step back.
• Yellow: Read by some as illness or difficulty, by others as hesitation.
• Grey and murky colours: Seen as uncertainty; repeating the istikhara is advised.

Seeing water, the sea, snow or gold after istikhara

Things seen in an istikhara dream are read with their usual dream meanings. As a general rule, what is clear and calm points to good, and what is murky or frightening to difficulty:

• Water: Clear water is ease and good, murky water is trouble. See Drinking water in a dream.
• The sea: A calm sea is breadth and ease, a rough sea is difficulty. See Seeing the sea in a dream.
• Snow: Clean snow in its season is peace and blessing. See Snow in a dream.
• Gold: In the tradition, often trouble for a man and adornment and joy for a woman. See Seeing gold in a dream.
• Greenery and gardens: Good and blessing. See Seeing green in a dream.

What if you saw no dream?

Not seeing a dream after istikhara is very common, and it does not mean the istikhara "did not work". Look at these:

1. The leaning of your heart. If you feel peace and ease towards one choice, that is an answer too.
2. Whether things become easy or hard. What is good for you often becomes easy; what is not meets obstacles.
3. You can repeat the istikhara. Some scholars advised repeating it seven times, based on a weak narration.
4. Consult others. Allah told His Prophet to consult people in affairs (Al 'Imran 3:159). Asking knowledgeable people you trust completes the istikhara.

An important reminder

Do not build a life-changing decision on a colour alone. Istikhara, consultation and your own reasoned effort go together, and whatever the outcome, the one who prays istikhara has left the matter to Allah. To learn how to pray it, see How to pray istikhara.

And Allah knows best.