اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (تسمي الأمر) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - أو قال: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - أو قال: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and seek strength through Your power, and I ask of Your immense grace. For indeed, You have power and I have no power; You know and I do not know; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention the matter) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and for my Hereafter (or he said: for my present and my future), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. O Allah, if You know that this matter is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood and my Hereafter (or he said: for 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 pleased 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-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (tasmī al-amr) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Allahumma wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li al-khaira haithu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when you are faced with a decision, particularly when choosing a religious scholar whose teachings you wish to follow, and you feel uncertain about the best path. It's after you have considered the options logically and sought advice, but still feel the need for divine guidance to make the final choice. You would typically pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer (Salatul Istikhara) and then recite this dua.
How to Read
This dua is recited after performing two rak'ahs of Salatul Istikhara. It is recommended to make ghusl (ritual bath) and wear clean clothes beforehand. While reciting, it is important to have a sincere heart, focus on the matter at hand (in this case, choosing a scholar), and be genuinely seeking Allah's direction. It is crucial to explicitly mention the matter you are seeking guidance for where indicated in the dua, e.g., 'Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna *istishārati hadha al-'alim* khayrun li...' (O Allah, if You know that *seeking the guidance of this scholar* is good for me...). After the dua, you should resolve to act upon what Allah inspires you with, whether through a dream, a feeling, or a clear sign, and feel content with His decree. You might repeat the process if you still feel uncertain.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a profound way to connect with Allah's wisdom when making important decisions. By seeking His guidance, we are entrusting our affairs to the One who knows what is best, even when we cannot see it ourselves. This practice can lead to peace of mind, clarity, and contentment, knowing that you have done your utmost to follow the right path. It cultivates reliance on Allah (Tawakkul) and safeguards you from making choices based on personal whim or incomplete knowledge, ultimately leading to beneficial outcomes in both this life and the next.
Source & Authentication
The Companion Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surah from 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: O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and seek strength through Your power, and I ask of Your immense grace. For indeed, You have power and I have no power; You know and I do not know; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and for my Hereafter (or he said: for my present and my future), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. O Allah, if You know that this matter is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood and my Hereafter (or he said: for 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 pleased with it.' And he said: 'And he should name his need.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, Sahih Muslim 718)