اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (هنا تسمي الأمر: تجارة / مشروع ...) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - عاجله وآجله - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - عاجله وآجله - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ 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 (here you name the matter: business/venture...) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end in this life and the Hereafter (or: for my immediate and future needs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is evil for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my end in this life and the Hereafter (or: for my immediate and future needs), 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 pleased 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-ghuyyub. Allahumma fa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (here you name the matter: business/venture...) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilihi - faqdirhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir lial-khayra haythu kan, thumma radhhini bih.
When to Read
This is the blessed dua for seeking guidance from Allah when you are faced with a decision, especially one with significant implications like starting a new business venture. You recite it after you have considered all the worldly means available and have decided to entrust the outcome to Allah. It's best performed after performing Wudu (ablution) and praying two rak'ahs of prayer outside of the obligatory ones, with the intention of seeking Allah's guidance.
How to Read
After praying two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, you should recite this dua with sincerity and a focused heart. It's crucial to name the specific venture you are contemplating within the dua where it indicates '(here you name the matter: business/venture...)'. Visualize your goal while making the dua, and be open to the signs Allah may show you in your dream or through circumstances. After istikhara, you are encouraged to act upon whatever your heart feels more inclined towards, trusting in Allah's wisdom.
Virtues & Benefits
The benefit of Istikhara is immense, as it connects you directly to the All-Knowing Creator. By performing Istikhara, you are essentially acknowledging your own limitations and relying on Allah's perfect knowledge and power to guide you towards what is best. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us this prayer so that we would not take significant decisions without seeking divine counsel. It brings peace of mind and certainty that you have done all you can to ensure the best outcome, whether the venture succeeds or is turned away from you. As the Prophet ﷺ said, 'There is no one who seeks guidance through supplication like Istikhara, except that Allah guides him.'
Source & Authentication
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surahs of the Quran. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about some matter he should observe two Rak'ahs of prayer other than the obligatory ones, and then say: 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-ghuyyub. Allahumma, fa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra 'azmata 'azmi wa fi deeni wa 'aaqibati amri, fa'qur hu li wa yassir hu li thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa 'aaqibati amri, f-asrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir li al-khayra haithu kan thumma raddani bihi. Wa yusammî ha watahu (i.e. the thing he wants to do).' [Sahih al-Bukhari 6306]