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 تسمي الأمر الذي تريد الاستخارة فيه، مثل: مرضي هذا، أو علاجي هذا، أو قرار العملية) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - عاجله وآجله - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. اللَّهُمَّ 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 are capable and I am not, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (mention your situation here) is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter (and in my immediate and delayed consequences), then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and then bless it for me. O Allah, if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my hereafter (and in my immediate and delayed consequences), 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 biqudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr (mention your situation here, e.g., this illness, this treatment, or undergoing surgery) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilih - faqdhur-hu li, wa yassir-hu li, thumma barik li fih. Allahumma wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khaira haithu kaan, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is recited when one is facing a decision, particularly when experiencing a significant health setback and needing to choose a course of action, such as a treatment, surgery, or even deciding on how to approach the recovery process. It is recommended to recite it after performing two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, or at least after making a firm intention to seek Allah's counsel.
How to Read
After performing two rak'ahs of Salah (preferably non-obligatory prayer), you recite the Istikhara dua. While reciting, you should have the specific matter you need guidance on clearly in your mind, mentioning it as indicated in the parenthetical part of the dua. It is important to have sincere intention and complete reliance on Allah. After reciting the dua, you should then sleep, ideally in a state of purity, and await clarity or a sign in your dreams, or a sense of conviction in your heart when you wake up. If no clarity comes, one can repeat the process for up to seven days. Importantly, after seeking Istikhara, you should then proceed with whichever option your heart feels more inclined towards, and not delay acting on what feels right.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer and dua are a profound way to connect with Allah, acknowledging His infinite knowledge and power. By seeking His guidance, we delegate our decision-making to the One who encompasses all wisdom, preventing regret and increasing our reliance on Him. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this prayer so that we might not err in our choices, ensuring that our path is guided by divine wisdom, bringing peace of mind and contentment, regardless of the outcome.
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 the Surahs of the Qur'an. He would say: 'If anyone 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 biqudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilih - faqdhur-hu li, wa yassir-hu li, thumma barik li fih. Allahumma wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - 'aajilihi wa aajilih - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdhur li-l-khaira haithu kaan, thumma radhdhini bih.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306).