اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَخِيْرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيْمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ. اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هٰذَا الْأَمْرَ (تسمي حاجتك) خَيْرٌ لِّيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ - عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِيْ، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِيْ، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِيْ فِيْهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هٰذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِّيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ - عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ، وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيْ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِيْ بِهِ. اَللّٰهُمَّ وَإِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِيْ وَتُصْلِحَ ذَاتَ بَيْنِنَا، وَأَنْ تَهْدِيَنِيْ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ، وَأَنْ تُخْرِجَنِيْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوْرِ بِإِذْنِكَ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge and power through Your might. I ask You of Your immense grace. For You decree 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 (name your need) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my Hereafter – for the present and the 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 Hereafter – for the present and the future – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree good for me wherever it may be, and make me content with it. O Allah, I ask You to forgive me and to set right that which is between us, and to guide me to the ways of peace, and to bring me out of darkness into light by Your permission.
Allahumma inni astakhirukabi 'ilmik, wa astaqdirukabi qudratik, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (name your need) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - 'ajilihi wa ajilihi - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - 'ajilihi wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li-l-khayra haythu kana, thumma radhdhini bih. Allahumma wa inni as'aluka an taghfira li wa tusliha dhata baynina, wa an tahdini subul-as-salam, wa an tukhrijani minadh-dhulumati ilan-noori bi idhnik.
When to Read
This dua is specifically for performing Istikhara, the prayer seeking divine guidance when facing a decision. Forgiveness and reconciliation with difficult relatives can be a significant decision requiring Allah's guidance. You would typically perform Istikhara when you are genuinely contemplating how to approach a situation with estranged or challenging family members: whether to extend an olive branch, how to respond to conflict, or whether to seek a path of forgiveness and reconciliation. It's best performed after performing Wudu, offering two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, and then reciting this dua with sincere intention.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer. After the prayer, raise your hands (or place them on your lap if preferred) and recite the dua with full concentration and sincerity. Utterly surrender your will to Allah. Name the specific situation concerning forgiveness and reconciliation with relatives in the designated place in the dua. After reciting the dua, you can sleep in a state of ritual purity, hoping for a dream, or simply trust that Allah will place clarity in your heart. Continue with your plans, and observe what your heart feels inclined towards, or what events unfold. It's recommended to repeat the Istikhara prayer if you don't feel clear after the first time.
Virtues & Benefits
Istikhara itself is a profound act of reliance on Allah (Tawakkul). By performing it for matters of reconciliation, we are seeking Allah's wisdom to mend broken ties and heal hearts, which is a highly virtuous act. Forgiveness, as emphasized in the Quran (e.g., Al-A'raf 7:199, Ash-Shura 42:40), purifies the soul and brings peace. This dua specifically asks Allah to 'set right that which is between us' and 'guide us to the ways of peace,' directly addressing the need for harmony. It also seeks forgiveness for oneself, acknowledging that we all fall short. Seeking Allah's guidance in family matters aligns with the strong emphasis Islam places on maintaining kinship ties (Silat Ar-Rahim), which are a source of Allah's mercy.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin '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 used to teach us the Surahs of the Quran. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter (in his mind) he should pray two Rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer other than the obligatory ones, and then say (the following dua): Allahumma inni astakhirukabi 'ilmik, wa astaqdirukabi qudratik, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - 'ajilihi wa ajilihi - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - 'ajilihi wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li-l-khayra haythu kana, thumma radhdhini bih. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). The additional supplication for forgiveness and reconciliation ('Allahumma wa inni as'aluka an taghfira li wa tusliha dhata baynina, wa an tahdini subul-as-salam, wa an tukhrijani minadh-dhulumati ilan-noori bi idhnik') is an expansion upon the core Istikhara dua, tailored to the specific need for healing relationships.