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 (هنا تذكر الأمر الذي تريد الاستخارة فيه) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - أو قال: 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: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ. اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (هنا تذكر الأمر الذي تريد الاستخارة فيه) لَكَ فِيهِ تَيَسُّرٌ وَسُهُولَةٌ، فَاجْعَلْهُ لِي. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَكَ فِيهِ غَمٌّ وَضِيقٌ، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge and seek strength from Your power, and I ask of Your abundant grace. For indeed, You have power and I have no power, 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 matter here) is good for me in my religion, my life, and my final end (or 'in my present and future'), 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 life, and my final end (or 'in my present and future'), 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. O Allah, if You know that this matter has ease and facility in it for You, then grant it to me. And if You know that it involves hardship and difficulty for You, then turn it away from me.
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 your matter here) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: 'aajili amri wa aajilih - fa qad'irhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: 'aajili amri wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, wa qaddir li-l-khayra haythu kaan, thumma radhdhini bih. Allahumma wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (mention your matter here) laka feehi tayassurun wa suhoolah, faj'alhu li. Wa in kunta ta'lamu annahu laka feehi ghammun wa deeq, fasrifhu 'anni.
When to Read
The Istikhara prayer, including this specific dua, is performed when you are facing a significant decision and are unsure of the best course of action. This applies to matters like reclaiming rights that have been unjustly taken. It is typically performed after 'Isha prayer, though it can be performed at other times of day or night when one is calm and able to focus. It's recommended to repeat the prayer and the dua for seven days if a clear sign is not received, trusting in Allah's guidance.
How to Read
The general recommended method for Istikhara involves performing a two-rak'ah voluntary prayer (nafl), distinct from the obligatory prayers. After completing the prayer, you recite the Dua al-Istikhara. You should specifically mention the matter you need guidance on within the dua, as indicated by the placeholder '(mention your matter here)'. For reclaiming stolen rights, you would clearly state the situation, e.g., 'O Allah, if reclaiming the right of my property that was unjustly taken is good for me...'. After reciting the dua, you should go about your day trusting that Allah will guide you through signs, feelings, or circumstances. It's important to avoid any prior inclination towards one outcome and to be open to Allah's wisdom.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a profound act of reliance on Allah (Tawakkul). By performing it, a believer acknowledges their own limitations in knowledge and power, seeking the wisdom and might of the Almighty. This process brings immense peace of mind, as one entrusts the outcome to Allah, knowing that He will guide them to what is best, even if it's not what they initially desired. For reclaiming stolen rights, Istikhara can provide clarity on the best approach – whether to pursue it legally, through mediation, or to accept Allah's decree if it is deemed not beneficial to pursue. It prevents regret by ensuring the decision was made with divine consultation.
Source & Authentication
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us the Istikhara for all matters, just as he used to teach us the Surahs of the Quran. He said: 'If any one of you is concerned about a matter he decided, then let him pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge and seek strength from Your power, and I ask of Your abundant grace. For indeed, You have power and I have no power, and You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my life, and my final end (or 'in my present and future'), 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 life, and my final end (or 'in my present and future'), 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.' And he added: 'And he should mention his need.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306).