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 (وَاذْكُرْ حَاجَتَكَ) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and seek power from Your might, and I ask of Your great bounty. For indeed You decree and I do not decree, and You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (and mention your need) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and for my Hereafter (or he said: in this life and the next), then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. O Allah, and if You know that this matter is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood and my Hereafter (or he said: in this life and the next), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me that which is good wherever it may be, then make me content 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-ghuyūb. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (wa-dhkur hajjatak) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri, faqdhurhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feehi. Allahumma wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khayra haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bihi.
When to Read
This dua is recited when you are facing a decision where you need Allah's guidance, such as deciding whether to pursue further education, which course to take, or whether to accept an offer of admission. It is best performed after offering two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer (Salah al-Istikhara) and reflecting on the decision.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer. After the prayer, raise your hands (if possible) and recite the Istikhara dua, mentioning the specific matter you need guidance on in place of 'hathal-amra'. It is recommended to repeat the dua three times. After reciting the dua, you should rely on Allah, make your intention clear, and then proceed with your decision. Look for signs in your heart – a leaning towards one option, or a feeling of peace or unease. Sleep is not a requirement, nor are dreams definitive, though sometimes Allah sends guidance through them.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a profound way to connect with Allah, acknowledging His omniscience and power. By seeking His counsel, we entrust our affairs to Him, finding peace and contentment regardless of the outcome. It helps us avoid regret, knowing we have sought the best from the One who knows all.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara for all matters as he used to teach us the Surah from the Quran. He said: 'If any one of you is concerned about some matter he should observe two Rak'ahs of a prayer other than the obligatory ones and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge and power from You and ask from Your great bounty. For You decree and I do not decree. And You know and I do not know. You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this task (and here he should mention his need) is good for me in this world and in the Hereafter, then decree it for me and make it easy for me and then bless it for me. And if You know that this task is evil for me in this world and in the Hereafter, then turn it away from me and me away from it and decree for me the good wherever it may be and make me content with it.' Jabir added: 'And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Then he should mention his need.'