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 (هنا تذكر الأمر الذي تريد الاستخارة فيه: (تأسيس موقع إسلامي، نشر محتوى دعوي عبر وسائل التواصل، إلخ)) 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 strength from Your power, and I ask of 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 (mention the matter here: e.g., establishing an Islamic website, sharing dawah content on social media, etc.) is good for me in my religion, my life, and my final end - or he said: for 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 life, and my final end - or he said: for 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 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-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (mention the matter here: e.g., establishing an Islamic website, sharing dawah content on social media, etc.) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aa jili amri wa aajilih - faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feehi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - aw qala: fi 'aa jili amri wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li-l-khayra haythu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This is the specific dua recited after performing two rak'ahs of prayer (Salatul Istikhara) when facing a decision, especially one as significant as embarking on a digital ministry. After the prayer, you would raise your hands (if praying alone or in a way that doesn't disturb others) and recite this supplication, clearly mentioning the specific decision regarding your digital ministry project in the designated place.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer outside of the obligatory prayers. After the tasleem (final salutation of the prayer), turn to the Qiblah and recite this dua. It's crucial to clearly articulate the specific matter for which you are seeking guidance in the section marked by parentheses. It is also recommended to recite praises of Allah and send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before and after the dua, and to use the phrases from the hadith that express reliance on Allah's knowledge and power. The intention is to surrender the decision to Allah, trusting His wisdom.
Virtues & Benefits
Istikhara is a profound act of worship that acknowledges our limitations and seeks the best outcome from the All-Knowing Creator. By performing Istikhara for your digital ministry, you are essentially asking Allah to guide you towards the path that will bring the most benefit to your deen and dunya, and to protect you from potential harm or misguidance in this endeavor. It brings peace of mind, clarity, and acceptance of whatever Allah chooses for you, whether it leads to success in the digital realm or a redirection towards something better.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara 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 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 of 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 and my livelihood and for [my] end [in this life and the Hereafter] – or he said: for [my] present and 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 evil for me in my religion and my livelihood and for [my] end [in this life and the Hereafter] – or he said: for [my] present and 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 satisfied with it.'" Sahih al-Bukhari 6306.