When the supplicant says:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ
“O Allaah! I ask for Your guidance”
The one seeking guidance starts his supplication by saying: اللَّهُمَّ “O Allaah!” He appeals to his Lord through His Divinity, which encompasses worship, as if saying: “You are my Ilaah (You alone I worship), and I am Your servant.” There is no closer being than the One true Lord to His sincere, devout, and humble servant. The person begins with this because of the importance of worship and devotion to Allaah; these are the keys to his supplication.
This has broader implications for a Muslim’s life; he should prioritize acts of worship above all else and acknowledge Allaah’s Oneness in all his actions and words.
Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:
فإذا قال السائل: اللهم إني أسألك، كأنه قال: أدعو الله الذي له الأسماء الحسنى والصفات العلى بأسمائه وصفاته
“So when the person says: اللهم إني أسألك “O Allaah! I ask You…” it is as if he is saying: “I call upon Allaah, the One who has the Most Beautiful Names and the Loftiest Attributes. I beseech Him by all His Names and Attributes.”” [1]
NOTES: [1] Tafseer al-Qayyim (1/336)
