اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge, and I seek Your ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your immense bounty. For indeed, You are Able and I am not, and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention your specific need here) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair (or he said: in the near future and distant future), then decree it for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it. 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 the near future and distant future), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me good wherever it may be, and then make me content with it.
Allâhumma innî astakhîruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-`azhîm, fa innaka taqdiru walâ aqdiru, wa ta'lamu walâ a'lamu, wa anta `allâmul-ghuyûb. Allâhumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal-amra khayrun lî fî dînî wa ma`âshî wa `âqibati amrî (aw qâla: `âjili amrî wa âjilih) faqdurhu lî wa yassirhu lî thumma bârik lî fîh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal-amra sharrun lî fî dînî wa ma`âshî wa `âqibati amrî (aw qâla: `âjili amrî wa âjilih) fasrifhu `annî wasrifnî `anhu waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardinî bih.
When to Read
You turn to Istikhara when you stand at a crossroads, facing a significant decision where the path isn't clear, and you genuinely seek Allah's guidance. This specific Istikhara is for those profound moments when you're contemplating whether to let go of material possessions – perhaps to simplify your life, reduce attachment to the dunya, or dedicate more resources to charity and your spiritual journey. It's not for trivial matters but for choices that carry weight in your deen and dunyah, where you truly want Allah to show you what is best. You pray it after performing two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer.
How to Read
The Prophet ﷺ taught us to pray Istikhara in a very specific way. First, perform two rak'ahs of prayer, intending them specifically for Istikhara. These should not be any of your five obligatory prayers. After you complete these two rak'ahs and say your *salaam*, you then recite this powerful dua. When you reach the part in the dua where it says "this matter" (هذا الأمر), that's where you articulate your specific need. So, for example, you would mentally or verbally state, "O Allah, if letting go of my surplus wealth/selling my extra property/giving away these items (etc.) for the sake of spiritual purification and closeness to You is good for me..." The key is to approach this with an open heart, ready to accept whatever Allah guides you to, even if it goes against your initial inclinations. The guidance might come as a feeling in your heart, a dream, a facilitating of the path, or obstacles appearing if it's not good. There's no prescribed waiting period for a "sign"; the answer comes when Allah wills.
Virtues & Benefits
The greatest benefit of Istikhara is a profound sense of **reliance on Allah (Tawakkul)**. You are submitting your will to His perfect knowledge and wisdom, acknowledging that only He knows what truly benefits you in this life and the Hereafter. It replaces anxiety with peace, knowing you have sought guidance from the All-Knowing. Even if the outcome isn't what you initially desired, you'll find **blessings and contentment (Barakah)** in it because it's what Allah chose for you. The Prophet ﷺ taught us this dua as he would teach a Surah from the Qur'an, indicating its immense importance and spiritual weight. It ensures that your significant life decisions, like those concerning material wealth and spiritual purity, are aligned with divine will, leading to **true spiritual growth and success**.
Source & Authentication
Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us to make Istikhara in all matters, just as he would teach us a Surah from the Qur'an. He would say: "When one of you contemplates a matter, let him pray two rak'ahs other than the obligatory prayers, and then say: 'O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge, and I seek Your ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your immense bounty. For indeed, You are Able and I am not, and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention your specific need here) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair (or he said: in the near future and distant future), then decree it for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it. 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 the near future and distant future), then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me good wherever it may be, and then make me content with it.' " He (Jabir) added: "And he should mention his need." — Sahih al-Bukhari 6306