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 (وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - أَوْ قَالَ: 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 - أَوْ قَالَ: 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 power from Your might, and I ask for Your immense bounty. For indeed You have power and I have no power, and 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 your need here) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and my Hereafter (or he said: for my present and my future), 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 Hereafter (or he said: for my present and my future), 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-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (wa yusamma hajatahu) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - aw qaala: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - faqdirhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - aw qaala: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir li khayra haithu kan, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us the Istikhara prayer for any significant decision, and that absolutely includes times of crisis. Whether you're facing a sudden financial emergency, a difficult personal decision impacting your family, or a community-wide challenge, Istikhara is your tool. You perform it when you have a specific matter in mind that you need guidance on, after you've done your best to research and weigh the options yourself. It's not a replacement for sound judgment, but a supplication for Allah's wisdom to illuminate the best path forward.
How to Read
The practice of Istikhara involves performing two units (rak'ahs) of voluntary prayer (nafl) outside of the disliked times. After reciting Surah al-Fatihah and another Surah in the second rak'ah, you recite the Tashahhud, then send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ. Finally, you recite this specific dua for Istikhara, ideally after the prayer, but it can also be recited before the taslim (salutation) if one is certain they've prayed correctly. It is recommended to name the specific matter or decision you are seeking guidance on within the dua, as indicated in the full text. After making dua, reflect on your feelings and any signs Allah may present. Trust that Allah will guide you through dreams, clear inclinations of the heart, or circumstances aligning in a particular direction.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a profound act of reliance on Allah (tawakkul). By turning to Him in this manner, we acknowledge His infinite knowledge and power, seeking the best outcome that He, in His perfect wisdom, knows for us. The Prophet ﷺ said, 'None of you truly believes until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself' (Sahih al-Bukhari 13). This Hadith, while speaking about brotherhood, encapsulates the essence of seeking good, not just for oneself, but understanding that true good is what Allah wills. Istikhara ensures we don't make decisions based solely on our limited understanding or worldly desires, but align our choices with divine wisdom, leading to peace of mind and ultimately, the best of both worlds.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the Istikhara for all matters, just as he used to teach us a Surah from the Quran. He said: 'If any of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: 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 khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - or he said: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - faqdirhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aqibati amri - or he said: fi 'ajili amri wa ajilihi - fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir li al-khayra haithu kan, thumma radhdhini bih." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306).