اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ (وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ: هَذَا الْعَمَلَ) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and strength from Your power, and I ask from Your immense bounty. For indeed, You have power and I have no power; You have knowledge and I have no knowledge; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (and he specified his need: this job) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end – (or he said: in my present and my future) – then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end – (or he said: in my present and my future) – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and ordain for me whatever is good, and make me satisfied with it.
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma fa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (wa yusamma hajatahu: hadhal-'amala) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - (aw qala: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - faqdhur li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - (aw qala: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khayra haythu kaan, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is specifically recited when you are faced with a decision where you are unsure of the best path forward, and you have exhausted your own efforts to find a solution. For a job offer, it's when you've considered the pros and cons, spoken to those you trust, and still feel uncertain. It's ideal to perform it after the obligatory prayers (like Fajr or Ishaa), or at any other convenient time. You would typically perform it after the two rak'ahs of prayer that are recommended before making the istikhara supplication.
How to Read
The recommended way to perform Istikhara is to first perform two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer. In the first rak'ah, after reciting Surah Al-Fatihah, you can recite Surah Al-Kafirun (109). In the second rak'ah, after Al-Fatihah, you can recite Surah Al-Ikhlas (112). After finishing the prayer, you raise your hands and recite the Dua of Istikhara as provided above, specifying your need (in this case, the job offer). It's important to recite it with sincerity, conviction, and a genuine desire for Allah's guidance. After making the dua, you should try to sleep in a state of purity, hoping for a sign or feeling in your heart. Then, you proceed with whatever your heart feels more inclined towards, trusting Allah's plan.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a profound way to connect with Allah and seek His divine wisdom in matters of uncertainty. It teaches us humility, acknowledging that our knowledge is limited and Allah's encompasses everything. By performing Istikhara, we entrust our affairs to the Most Wise, seeking the best outcome, whether it's acceptance or rejection of the job. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this prayer so that the Ummah would not be disappointed in their decisions, as seeking Allah's counsel ensures that the chosen path, whatever it may be, is what is best for us in the long run. It brings peace of mind and contentment, knowing that Allah has guided the decision.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara (prayer for guidance) in all matters as he taught us the Surahs of the Qur'an. He said: 'If any one of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma fa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - (or he said: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - faqdhurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - (or he said: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khayra haythu kaan, thumma radhdhini bih.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306).