اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اَلْأَمْرَ (تسمية الأمر هنا: الصلح مع فلان) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - وفي رواية: في عاجل أمري وآجله - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اَلْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - وفي رواية: في عاجل أمري وآجله - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek guidance from Your knowledge, and strength from Your power, and I ask from Your great bounty. For indeed, You have power and I have no power; You know and I know not; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention the matter here: reconciliation with so-and-so) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my Hereafter – or in another narration: 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 is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my Hereafter – or in another narration: in my present and my future – then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me whatever is good, and make me satisfied 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-amra (mention the matter here: reconciliation with so-and-so) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - or in another narration: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - faqdhurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri - or in another narration: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khaira haithu kana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
Recite this dua after performing the two rak'ahs of Istikhara prayer. This prayer and dua are for seeking Allah's guidance when facing a decision, especially when one is unsure about the best course of action. Reconciling with an estranged family member is a significant matter that often requires profound clarity and divine direction.
How to Read
Perform Wudu (ablution) as you would for any prayer. Pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer. After the Tasleem (salutation), raise your hands and recite the Istikhara dua as given above. Clearly mention the specific intention (e.g., 'reconciliation with my father/mother/sibling') in the designated part of the dua. It is also recommended to praise Allah, send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and then to make dua. After reciting the dua, you should aim to proceed with your life as normal, and Allah will guide you through signs in dreams, or a feeling of ease or inclination towards a certain decision, or by making circumstances clear.
Virtues & Benefits
Istikhara is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, offering a direct channel to seek Allah's wisdom for important decisions. It helps in submitting to Allah's will, finding peace in His decree, and averting potential future regret. Seeking Allah’s guidance in mending family ties is particularly blessed, as maintaining kinship is a strong command in Islam.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surah 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 guidance from Your knowledge, and strength from Your power, and I ask from Your great bounty. For indeed, You have power and I have no power; You know and I know not; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [and here he mentions the specific matter] is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my Hereafter – or he said: in my present and my future – then decree it for me, and make it easy for me, and then bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, 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 whatever is good, and make me satisfied with it.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)