اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ أَهْلِهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا فِيهَا، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ أَهْلِهَا وَشَرِّ مَا فِيهَا
O Allah, I ask You for the goodness of it, and the goodness of what You have decreed for it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of it, and the evil of what You have decreed for it.
Allahumma inni as'aluka khayraha wa khayra ahliha wa khayra ma fiha, wa a'udhu bika min sharriha wa sharri ahliha wa sharri ma fiha
When to Read
This powerful dua is recited when faced with any significant decision, whether it's about marriage, career, moving, or any other matter where you need clarity and divine guidance. Recite it after performing Salat al-Istikhara (the prayer of seeking guidance).
How to Read
Begin by performing two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, ideally with the intention of seeking guidance from Allah. After the tasleem (salutation), raise your hands and recite this dua. Utter it with sincerity, focusing your heart on Allah's knowledge and wisdom. Place your trust in Him after seeking His counsel, and then proceed with the decision that feels most right in your heart. It's also recommended to make sincere supplication to Allah in your own words, asking Him to guide you to what is best.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua is a direct plea to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) for His wisdom and blessing in our choices. By reciting it, we acknowledge that our knowledge is limited, and true success lies in aligning our decisions with Allah's divine plan. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that through Istikhara and this dua, Allah guides us to the best outcome, averting potential harm and leading us towards good, even if we don't see it immediately.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught them the Istikhara for all matters, just as he taught them Surahs from the Qur'an. He said: 'If any one of you is concerned about a matter, he should perform two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer other than the obligatory prayer, then say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika wa astadiruka 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 hadha al-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri (or he said: 'ajli amri wa ajilihi) faqdirhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra sharun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri (or he said: 'ajli amri wa ajilihi) fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu waqdir li al-khayra haythu kana thumma ardi ni bih. (And the narrator mentioned the version of Abu Bakr's translation: Allahumma inni as'aluka khayraha wa khayra ahliha wa khayra ma fiha, wa a'udhu bika min sharriha wa sharri ahliha wa sharri ma fiha). And he said: 'And he should mention his need.'