Question:
How should mashūra be conducted? Some people say that when a consultation meeting begins, first Allahﷻ should be praised, then salawāt should be sent upon the Messengerﷺ ﷺ, then the discussion should take place, and when the meeting ends again Allahﷻ should be praised, salawāt should be recited, and the supplication beginning with “Subhānaka Allāhumma…” should be read before dispersing. They claim this is the Prophetﷺic method.
He also asks another practical question. Suppose a decision is taken through mashūra. Can that decision later be changed without conducting another consultation? For example, suppose we consult others and decide to join a particular company for work. Before joining, another company offers a better salary and better job conditions. Can we accept the new job without holding another mashūra? Would that not mean we failed to act upon the earlier decision?
Answer:
To understand this properly, we must first understand the place of consultation in Islam. When important matters arise, Islam encourages believers not to make decisions purely on their own impulses but to consult others. Allahﷻ Himself describes the believers in the Qur’an as people whose affairs are conducted through consultation among themselves. When Allahﷻ praises them, He says that their matters are decided through mutual consultation. This refers particularly to matters that affect the community.
Similarly, Allahﷻ instructed the Prophetﷺ in Surah Āl-Imrān to consult with the people in worldly affairs. Even though the Prophetﷺ was guided by revelation, when it came to practical worldly decisions—such as matters of strategy, public policy, or dealing with prisoners of war—he would gather the companions and consult them.
For example: Should we advance toward battle or not? Should prisoners be released or held? Should a certain action be taken or delayed? In such public matters he would seek the opinions of others. From this we learn that consultation is a strongly encouraged practice in Islam, especially in matters that affect a group or the community. But now the question arises: does mashūra itself have a fixed ritual procedure? Must it begin with certain recitations and end with particular supplications?
When we examine the Prophetic practice, we find no evidence that consultation meetings had a special ritual structure. There is no proof that the Prophetﷺ would begin mashūra with a specific formula of praise, then salawāt, then discussion, and then close with a particular supplication. When consultation took place, people would simply gather and discuss the matter at hand. Mashūra itself means asking for opinions and advice. It is not a formal ritual like prayer.
However, the supplication beginning with “Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdika, ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā ant, astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilayk”.” “Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You” is known as a supplication for ending a gathering. This supplication is recommended when any gathering ends, whether it is a lecture, a meeting, or a discussion. If a consultation meeting is considered a gathering, then it may also be ended with this supplication. But it is not something specific to mashūra alone; it applies to all types of gatherings.
Now let us consider the second part of the question. If a decision has been made through consultation, can it later be changed?
To answer this clearly, we must realize that consultation itself occurs in two different types of situations.
The first type is consultation about public matters, matters that involve many people collectively. Imagine that a group decides to organize a public protest. Everyone gathers, discusses the agenda, and decides together that the protest will take place on Sunday morning at eleven o’clock. Once such a collective decision is made, it should not be changed unilaterally by one person. If someone later says, “Let us postpone it to Monday,” that cannot simply be done without consulting everyone again. Why? Because the original decision belonged to all of them collectively. If the decision was made through collective consultation, any change should also occur through collective consultation. Otherwise the purpose of mashūra itself would be undermined.
But there is another type of consultation, and that concerns personal matters. Suppose a person plans to open a grocery store. He gathers ten friends and asks their opinions: “I am thinking of starting a grocery shop. Do you think it will succeed?” They advise him and say, “Yes, it seems like a good idea.” Later he discovers that a textile shop would be more profitable in that location. He decides to open a textile shop instead. Does he now need to gather those ten friends again and hold another consultation? No. Why? Because the decision ultimately concerns his personal life. The others merely offered advice. They do not share ownership of his decision.
Similarly, consider employment. Suppose someone asks a few friends whether he should accept a particular job, and they encourage him to do so. Later another company offers him a better position with a higher salary. Must he gather the same people again for consultation before accepting the new offer? There is no need. The earlier consultation was simply advice. It was not a binding collective decision.
The same applies in other personal matters such as marriage proposals. A family may consult a few relatives about whether a certain marriage proposal is suitable. Later they may discover a better option or new information that changes their view. They are not required to conduct another formal consultation before changing their decision. Personal matters remain the responsibility of the individual or family involved.
In summary, consultation in public matters should be respected collectively, and any changes should involve those who participated in the original decision. But consultation in personal matters is simply advice, and the individual remains free to change his decision if better information or opportunities arise.