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 (اذكر الأمر هنا) 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 guidance from Your knowledge and seek ability through Your power, and I ask for Your immense favour. For You have power, and I have no power; You know, and I know not; You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention the matter here) is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and the hereafter – or he said: in my present and future – then decree 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 he said: in my present and future – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me what 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 aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (mention the matter here) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri – aw qaala: fi 'aa'jili amri wa aajilih – faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri – aw qaala: fi 'aa'jili amri wa aajilih – fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li-l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is specifically for the Istikhara prayer, which is performed when one is contemplating a significant decision and seeking Allah's guidance. For making a public stand for justice, you would perform Istikhara when you are weighing the pros and cons, considering the potential outcomes, and feel uncertain about the best course of action. This could be before deciding to speak out, join a cause, or take a specific stance. It's best performed after a proper Istikhara prayer, which involves reciting two rak'ahs of prayer followed by this dua, ideally after the `Isha` prayer and before going to sleep, though it can be performed at any suitable time.
How to Read
The Istikhara prayer involves performing two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer (nafl). After completing the prayer, you recite this specific dua. It's crucial to have a sincere intention and a clear mind about the decision you are seeking guidance for. When reciting the dua, make sure to pause at the point where it says '(mention the matter here)' and clearly think of or even verbally state the specific decision regarding the public stand for justice you are contemplating. After reciting the dua, you may go to sleep, hoping for guidance through dreams, or observe how matters unfold. Trust that Allah will guide you, often through a sense of conviction, a clear path appearing, or discouraging signs.
Virtues & Benefits
Istikhara, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, is a profound way to connect with Allah's wisdom when faced with uncertainty. By turning to Him, we acknowledge our own limitations and His infinite knowledge and power. The benefit of performing Istikhara before making a public stand for justice is immense. It ensures that your action is aligned with Allah's will, maximizing the potential for good outcomes and minimizing potential harm or regret. It grants peace of mind, knowing you've sought the best guidance, and helps in accepting whatever Allah decrees, whether it is proceeding with the stand or being guided away from it, with contentment.
Source & Authentication
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he taught 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 Your knowledge, and ability through Your power, and I ask for Your immense favour; for You have power, and I have no power, and You know, and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion and in my life and bad for me in my religion and in my life, [or he said: if You know it is good for me in this world and in the hereafter] then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. But if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and in my life and in my world and in the hereafter [or he said: if You know it is bad for me] then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me whatever is good and make me pleased with it. He said: And he should name (the particular thing) instead of (the matter).’ Sahih al-Bukhari 6306