The value of two rak’ahs has been highlighted numerous times in hadith. For instance, when a believer is faced with a major decision in life, he is encouraged to pray two rak’ahs of salat-ul istikharah — rather than being consumed with the uncertainty of possible consequences and alternatives, he should simply ask Allah ﷻ through Istikharah to place goodness and guidance in whatever he is to pursue, and move forward. When a believer is in need of something, he prays two rak’ahs of salat-ul hajah — rather than resort to unlimited extreme measures, he recognizes that Allah ﷻ is truly in charge of fulfilling his needs in the manner that pleases Him. When a believer has repeatedly sinned, he prays two rak’ahs salat-ul tawbah — rather than remain ridden with guilt and sadness, he sincerely asks Allah ﷻ to forgive him, and moves on. Any matter in our life can be taken care of with two rak’ahs, as they provide immediate contentment of heart and clarity of mind. The power of these two rak’ahs lies in two main reasons: 1) they are mechanisms of attracting the attention of Allah ﷻ, and 2) they are a reminder of the oft-forgotten yet ultimate reality of this world, that Allah ﷻ is the Creator who always decrees what is best for the believer and has the sole ability to alleviate our desperations and desires.
