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 (تسمي حاجتك: تزويج، قرية، سفر، عمل، أو غيره) 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 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 You Your great bounty. 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 – (then name your need: e.g. reconciling with my family member) – is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter (or: for my immediate and later consequences), 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 worldly life, and my hereafter (or: for my immediate and later consequences), 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.
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-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (name your need: marriage, a village, travel, work, or other) 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 feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li'l-khaira haithu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited as part of the Istikhara prayer. Istikhara is a two-rak'ah prayer performed when facing a decision or dilemma, and one wishes to seek Allah's guidance. In this specific case, you would perform the Istikhara prayer when you are struggling with the decision of whether and how to reconcile with an estranged family member. It's best performed after Fajr prayer, but can be done at other times when it's permissible to pray (avoiding the forbidden times). After completing the prayer, you would recite this specific dua, clearly stating your intention for reconciliation.
How to Read
The Istikhara prayer involves praying two rak'ahs as you would any regular prayer. After the Tashahhud, you recite the Istikhara dua provided above. It's crucial to articulate your specific need within the dua, where it says 'this matter' (هذا الأمر), by mentioning your intention to reconcile with the specific family member. Focus your heart and mind on seeking Allah's best outcome. After the dua, you should sleep in a state of purity, hoping for a sign through dreams or a feeling of clarity in your heart about the path forward. If no clear sign appears, you can repeat the process for a few days. It's important to also take practical steps and consult with trusted, wise individuals.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a profound way to connect with Allah, acknowledging His infinite knowledge and wisdom. By performing Istikhara, we are essentially entrusting our affairs to the One who knows what is best for us, even when we are unsure. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this prayer so that Muslims would not feel lost or hesitant when facing important decisions. This dua specifically helps in navigating the complexities of family relationships, seeking Allah's blessing for reconciliation, and finding contentment with His decree, whether that leads to reconciliation or a different path that is ultimately better for your spiritual well-being.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he used to teach us the Surahs of the Qur'an. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask of You Your great bounty. 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 is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter (or: for my immediate and later consequences), 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 worldly life, and my hereafter (or: for my immediate and later consequences), 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.'"