اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (هنا تذكر الأمر الذي تستخير فيه، وهو "إعادة بناء الثقة بعد الخيانة") خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أو قال: في عاجل أمري وآجله – فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أو قال: في عاجل أمري وآجله – فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and strength from Your power, and I ask of Your immense favor. 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 (rebuilding trust after betrayal) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair (or he said: in my present and my future), then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and then bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair (or he said: in my present and my future), then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and ordain for me that which is good wherever it may be, 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 aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (mention the matter here: rebuilding trust after betrayal) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This Istikhara dua is recited when you are facing a significant decision regarding rebuilding trust after a betrayal, and you are uncertain about the right path forward. It is typically performed after fulfilling the necessary conditions for Istikhara, which include seeking counsel from knowledgeable people if applicable, praying two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, and then reciting this specific dua with sincere intention and full reliance on Allah.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer (Salat al-Istikhara) outside of the disliked times for prayer. After completing the prayer, turn towards the Qiblah, maintain a state of ritual purity, and recite the above dua with complete sincerity and focus. When you reach the part "this matter" (هَذَا الأَمْرَ), you should mentally or verbally specify the decision you are seeking guidance on, such as "rebuilding trust with [person's name] after [briefly mention betrayal]." After reciting the dua, abandon all options and trust that Allah will guide you through signs, dreams, or an inclination in your heart towards one of the options. You do not repeat the prayer and dua until you feel a clear sense of direction.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a means to seek Allah's guidance on any important matter, preventing regret and ensuring one takes a path that is best for them in this life and the next. By turning to Allah, the Knower of all unseen matters, we acknowledge our limitations and trust in His perfect wisdom and plan. This process is particularly vital when dealing with the complex and emotionally charged situation of betrayal, as it helps to diffuse personal bias and seek a solution that aligns with divine decree and leads to ultimate peace and well-being.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara for all matters 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 aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri – or he said: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi – faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri – or he said: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi – fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.'"