اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (تسمي حاجتك: استثمار هذا العمل التجاري الأخلاقي) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - أو قال: 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 - أو قال: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. 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 (name your need: investing in this ethical business) is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and the hereafter (or: in my present and future affairs), then ordain 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 worldly life, and the hereafter (or: in my present and future affairs), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me whatever is good, and 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-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (name your need: investing in this ethical business) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr shar-run li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li'l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when one is contemplating an important decision, such as investing in an ethical business, and is seeking Allah's guidance to choose the best path. It is typically performed after offering two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer (Salatul Istikhara) outside of the obligatory prayers. Ideally, this is done when you have a clear inclination or desire towards a certain option but are uncertain of its outcome or suitability.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer. After the prayer, raise your hands and recite this dua. When you reach the phrase '(name your need: investing in this ethical business)', clearly state your intention regarding the investment. After reciting the dua, reflect on your feelings and aspirations. You may feel a sense of clarity, peace, or aversion towards the matter. It is encouraged to make this dua seven times. The guidance from Allah may come in the form of a clear decision, a dream, or a feeling of conviction.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, taught to the Companions just as he taught them Surahs from the Quran. It is a profound way to entrust one's important decisions to Allah, seeking His divine wisdom and blessing. By performing Istikhara, a believer seeks to align their choices with what is best for them in this life and the next, acknowledging that Allah is the ultimate Knower of all affairs. This practice brings peace of mind, reduces anxiety over decisions, and ensures that one is actively seeking Allah's pleasure in all their endeavors, including ethical financial decisions.
Source & Authentication
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us the Istikhara (prayer for seeking guidance) in all matters as he used to teach us the Surahs of the Quran. He said: 'If any one 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 my knowledge, and power from You, and I ask of Your great bounty. For indeed You have power, and I have no power; You have knowledge and I have no knowledge. You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in this world and in the Hereafter (or: then in my present and my Hereafter), then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is evil for me in this world and in the Hereafter (or: then in my present and my 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.'" Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "And he (the Prophet ﷺ) said: 'And he should mention his need (instead of the word 'matter')'." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)