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: 'healing from trauma') - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أو قال: 'عاجل أمري وآجله') - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ - (اذكر حاجتك هنا) - شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أو قال: 'عاجل أمري وآجله') - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask for Your great bounty. For 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 – (healing from trauma) – is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and my end – (or: 'in my present and my future') – then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and grant me blessing in it. And if You know that this matter – (healing from trauma) – is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood and my end – (or: 'in my present and my future') – then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me whatever is good, and make me pleased 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-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (mention your need here: 'healing from trauma') khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri (or: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi), faqdhurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (mention your need here) sharun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri (or: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi), fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when facing a decision or seeking clarity on a path forward regarding healing from trauma. It's best performed after fulfilling the basic steps of Istikhara: making sincere intention, supplicating with this dua, and then sleeping with the intention of seeking guidance. You can repeat this for several nights if needed.
How to Read
Ideally, this dua should be recited after offering two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer (Salatul Istikhara). Ensure you are in a state of purity (wudu). After the prayer, you recite this specific dua, consciously thinking about the matter of healing from trauma and seeking Allah's direction. It's important to have a sincere heart and to be open to whatever Allah chooses for you. After reciting the dua, try to go to sleep in a state of calm, with the intention of seeing a sign or feeling a sense of clarity.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a beautiful way to entrust our affairs to Allah. When dealing with the complexities of trauma, seeking Allah's direct guidance through Istikhara can bring immense peace of mind. It helps to detach from our own limited understanding and desires, and to align our will with Allah's perfect plan. This process can lead to clarity on the best steps for healing, be it seeking professional help, relying on specific spiritual practices, or making life changes. It fosters contentment and reliance on the Most Merciful.
Source & Authentication
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: 'The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara in all things, just as he used to teach us a Surah 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: 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-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - (or: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - faqdhurhu 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 - (or: 'ajili amri wa ajilihi) - fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih." He said: 'And he said (the Prophet ﷺ) that then you should name your need.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)