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 – (وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ) – خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – (أَوْ قَالَ: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) – فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – (أَوْ قَالَ: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) – فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and I seek power from Your might, and I ask You from Your abundant grace. 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 here you mention your need) – is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end in this life and the hereafter (or he said: in my present and my future), then decree 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 in this life and the hereafter (or he said: in my present and my future), then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me that which is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, 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 – (and here you name your need) – khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri – (or he said: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih) – faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri – (or he said: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih) – fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li-l-khaira haithu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is specifically for performing the prayer of Istikhara when facing a significant decision where you are unsure of the best course of action. A difficult inheritance dispute, involving complex family dynamics, legalities, or potential financial loss, is precisely the kind of situation where seeking Allah's guidance through Istikhara is profoundly beneficial. You should perform Istikhara when you have a clear intention regarding the decision you need to make concerning the inheritance, and you have already considered the practical aspects and sought advice where necessary.
How to Read
The prayer of Istikhara involves performing two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, followed by reciting this specific dua. It is recommended to recite Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah after Al-Fatihah, and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second rak'ah after Al-Fatihah. After completing the prayer and reciting the dua, you should turn to your right and say: 'O Allah, grant me the best of the choices.' Then sleep in a state of purity. After waking, you might feel a inclination towards one option, or you might see a dream, or you might feel confusion leading you to consult others again. The key is to rely on Allah and be sincere in your supplication.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a beautiful Sunnah taught by our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to guide us when faced with uncertainty. By performing Istikhara, you are entrusting your affairs to Allah, the Knower of all things, acknowledging your own limitations and seeking His wisdom. This process can bring peace to your heart, clarity to your mind, and protection from making a wrong decision that could lead to regret or further complications, especially in sensitive matters like inheritance.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he used to teach us Surahs from the Quran. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and I seek power from Your might, and I ask You from Your abundant grace. 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 here you mention your need) – is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end in this life and the hereafter (or he said: in my present and my future), then decree 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 in this life and the hereafter (or he said: in my present and my future), then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me that which is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.'" Sahih al-Bukhari 6306.