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 الأمر هنا: توبتي من ذنب معين) - 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 - (اذكر الأمر هنا: توبتي من ذنب معين) - شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أو قال: في 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 of Your great bounty. For 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 – (mention the matter here: my repentance from a specific sin) – is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter – (or he said: in my present and my future) – then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter – (mention the matter here: my repentance from a specific sin) – is evil for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter – (or he said: in my present and my future) – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me that which is good wherever it may be, 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-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr - (mention the matter here: my repentance from a specific sin) - khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - (or he said: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilihi) - fapdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr - (mention the matter here: my repentance from a specific sin) - sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - (or he said: fi 'aajili amri wa aajilihi) - fasrifhu 'annee wa'srifnee 'anhu, wa'qdur li'l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when you are contemplating seeking sincere repentance from a specific sin, but you are unsure of the best course of action regarding that sin itself or the path to effective repentance. It's particularly useful if you feel conflicted or uncertain about how to proceed with your repentance, or if you're seeking Allah's wisdom on whether a particular step or approach towards repentance is truly beneficial for you. Recite it after performing two rak'ahs of prayer, ideally outside of the obligatory prayers.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of prayer, not from the obligatory prayers. After finishing the prayer, raise your hands (if you are praying alone, you can do so mentally or softly) and recite this specific Istikhara dua. You should clearly mention the matter you are seeking guidance on within the designated brackets in the dua: 'this matter – (mention the matter here: my repentance from a specific sin)'. For instance, you could say 'my repentance from backbiting' or 'my seeking forgiveness for looking at haram'. After reciting the dua, trust in Allah and reflect on your feelings and any dreams or clear inclinations you might experience. It is also recommended to make sincere supplication (dua) afterward, asking Allah to guide you to the best choice. Then, resolve to act upon what Allah inspires in your heart, without being fixated on specific outcomes.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a beautiful way to connect with Allah's infinite wisdom when faced with uncertainty. By seeking guidance through this prayer, you are entrusting your affairs to the One who knows what is best for you. For repenting from a sin, Istikhara can help clarify the path to sincere remorse, seeking forgiveness, and making amends, ensuring your efforts are aligned with Allah's pleasure. It brings peace of mind, as you act upon a decision that has been sought through divine counsel, fostering contentment and strengthening your resolve to stay away from sins.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara (guidance seeking prayer) in all matters as he used to teach us a Surah from the Qur'an. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter he should perform two rak'ahs of a voluntary prayer, and then say: O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and seek power from Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. For 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 (and in the wording of Ibn 'Umar, 'this affair') is good for me in this world and in the Hereafter – (or he said: in my deen and my livelihood and my Hereafter) – then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. O Allah, if You know that this matter is evil for me in this world and in the Hereafter – (or he said: in my deen and my livelihood and my Hereafter) – then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me content with it.' Jabir said: 'And he (the Prophet) said: At that point, you should name your need.'