اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ.
O Allah, I ask You for its goodness and the goodness of what You have decreed for it (her nature), and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of what You have decreed for it (her nature).
Allahumma inni as'aluka khairaha wa khaira ma jabaltaha 'alayh, wa a'udhu bika min sharriha wa sharri ma jabaltaha 'alayh.
When to Read
This dua is ideally recited when you are seeking the hand of a potential spouse, or when proposing. It can also be recited by the guardian of the bride-to-be, or even by the individuals themselves once a proposal has been made and accepted, to ask Allah for blessings upon the union.
How to Read
This dua is specific to seeking the good in a potential spouse and seeking refuge from any potential evil. It's important to recite it with sincerity and a genuine reliance on Allah's guidance. Ensure you are facing the Qiblah if possible, and present yourself with humility and earnestness before making the supplication. It's recommended to make this dua after reciting other supplications for guidance, such as Istikhara.
Virtues & Benefits
This supplication is a powerful way to entrust the matter of marriage to Allah, the All-Knowing. By asking for the 'goodness of what You have decreed for it' (referring to the person's nature and the outcome of the marriage), we acknowledge that true good comes from Allah alone. Seeking refuge from 'its evil and the evil of what You have decreed for it' shows our awareness of potential difficulties and our reliance on Allah to protect the union. It embodies the spirit of seeking Allah's blessing and guidance in one of life's most significant decisions, ensuring that the foundation of the marriage is built upon Tawakkul (reliance on Allah).
Source & Authentication
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught them the Istikhara prayer in all matters as he taught them a Surah of the Qur'an. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter, he should perform two rak'ahs of other than obligatory prayer, and then say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adhim, 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 ('khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri) - or he said ('ajili amri wa ajilihi) - faqdhirhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra (sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri) - or he said ('ajili amri wa ajilihi) - fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu waqdhir li al-khaira haithu kana thumma ardhini bih. And in another version: 'He should say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'adhim, 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 khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fa-qdhirhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu waqdhir li al-khaira haithu kana thumma ardhini bih. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'And he should name his need.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). The dua provided is a specific supplication for the *person* being proposed to, a supplementary supplication to be used alongside or after Istikhara when marriage is the specific matter.