اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (ويُسَمَّى حاجته: عُهُدَةُ اليَتِيمِ) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - عاجله وآجله - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - عاجله وآجله - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask of Your great 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 name it: the trusteeship of the orphan) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end – both in this world and the Hereafter – then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end – both in this world and the Hereafter – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and ordain for me that which is good wherever it may be, 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-ghuyoub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (wa yusammah: 'uhdatul-yateem) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilihi - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li khayra haithu kan, thumma radhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when one is contemplating a significant decision and is unsure of the best course of action. Specifically for choosing a trustee for an orphan, this means that after thorough research, consultation, and perhaps even meeting potential candidates, you still feel a need for divine guidance to make the most suitable choice. It is typically recited after performing Wudu (ablution), praying two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, and then presenting the intention and the specific matter to Allah.
How to Read
Begin with Wudu and pray two rak'ahs of Salah, with the intention of Istikhara. After the prayer, raise your hands and recite the above dua. During the dua, clearly mention the specific matter for which you seek guidance, in this case, the selection of a trustee for the orphan. It is recommended to repeat the dua seven times. After reciting, do not dwell on the decision, but rather proceed with conviction. Look for signs in your heart (a sense of ease and inclination towards one option) or through dreams. If no clarity comes, seek advice from knowledgeable and pious individuals. The key is to sincerely entrust the matter to Allah and be content with whatever He decrees.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a beautiful Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, allowing us to seek Allah's wisdom in our affairs. By performing Istikhara for such a sensitive matter as appointing a trustee for an orphan, we are fulfilling a crucial responsibility with divine assistance. It ensures that the decision is made not based solely on our limited understanding but guided by the All-Knowing Creator, safeguarding the orphan's welfare and rights. The Prophet ﷺ stated: 'None of you truly believes until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 13) Applying this principle to the orphan's situation, Istikhara helps us choose the best for them as we would for ourselves.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surah of the Quran. He said, 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer other than the obligatory ones, and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and seek power from Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. For indeed You have power, but I have no power. You have knowledge, but I have no knowledge. You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this task is good for me in my religion and for my subsistence and for the consequences of my affairs, then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it. And if You know that this task is bad for me in my religion and for my subsistence and for the consequences of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.' Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) added: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'At that time, one should mention the thing he wants to do.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)