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 - [اذكر حاجتك هنا] - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، عَجِّلْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ - [اذكر حاجتك هنا] - شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدِرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and power from Your might, and I ask of Your abundant grace. 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 - [mention your need here] - is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the end of my affair (or: in this world and the Hereafter), then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter - [mention your need here] - is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the end of my affair (or: in this world and the Hereafter), then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me whatever is good, 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 - [mention your need here] - khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri, 'ajjilhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra - [mention your need here] - sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir li'l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is specifically for seeking Allah's guidance when you are facing a decision, particularly one that involves significant personal impact or uncertainty. In the context of potentially forgiving someone who has caused you harm, you would perform the Istikhara prayer and recite this dua when you are unsure whether forgiveness is the right path, or if you need Allah's help to be able to forgive, or if you need guidance on how to proceed after having forgiven.
How to Read
The Sunnah for Istikhara involves performing a two-rak'ah prayer (beyond the obligatory prayers). After the prayer, you recite this specific dua. When you reach the part '[mention your need here]', you should specifically articulate your intention, for example, by saying 'Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna al-musamaha li-flan (mention the person's name if known) khayrun li...' (O Allah, if You know that forgiving so-and-so is good for me...). It is recommended to repeat the prayer and dua up to seven times if a clear direction is not felt. After the Istikhara, you should rely on Allah and observe what your heart inclines towards or what unfolds naturally. Avoid making a decision based on seeing a specific dream unless it is overwhelmingly clear.
Virtues & Benefits
Istikhara is a profound act of seeking Allah's wisdom and guidance. When grappling with the difficult decision of forgiveness, Istikhara helps you to: 1. **Align your intention with Allah's will**: It ensures your decision is guided by divine wisdom, not just personal emotions. 2. **Receive clarity**: Allah may show you signs through your heart's inclination, dreams, or circumstances to help you understand the best course of action. 3. **Find peace**: Even if the outcome isn't exactly what you expected, Istikhara brings contentment and acceptance of Allah's decree. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us this prayer as a way to consult the ultimate Knower before undertaking any significant matter, ensuring we are on the path He wills for us.
Source & Authentication
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the Istikhara in all affairs as he used to teach us the Surah from the Quran. He would say: 'If anyone of you is concerned about an affair whilst he is standing, he should pray two rak'ahs other than the obligatory prayers, and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and power from Your might, and I ask of Your abundant grace. 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 affair is good for me in my religion and in my livelihood and in the end of my affairs (or: in this world and 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 affair is bad for me in my religion and in my livelihood and in the end of my affairs (or: in this world and the Hereafter), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me whatever is good for me, and make me content with it.'" And he (Jabir) said: "He said: 'And he should name his need."