1 supplications
Istikhara Prayer and Dua
Jabir said that the Prophet ﷺ taught them istikhara in all matters as he taught them a surah of the Qur’an (Sahih al-Bukhari). Pray two voluntary rak‘ahs, then say this dua, naming your matter where it says “this matter”.
The istikhara dua
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi-‘ilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa as’aluka min fadlikal-‘adhim, fa-innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta‘lamu wa la a‘lam, wa anta ‘allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadhal-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri fasrifhu ‘anni wasrifni ‘anh, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kan, thumma ardini bih.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power and I have none, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then decree it for me, make it easy for me and bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
How to pray istikhara
- Make wudu and choose a time that is not forbidden for prayer.
- Pray two rak‘ahs of voluntary prayer with the intention of istikhara.
- After the prayer, praise Allah, send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ and say the dua, mentioning your matter where it says “hadhal-amr”.
- Then go ahead with what seems best to you, after seeking advice from people of experience. There is no need to wait for a dream.
Misconceptions about istikhara
Istikhara is not reserved for big decisions, nor does it require a dream or a sign. The Prophet ﷺ taught it “in all matters”, and its fruit is that Allah makes easy what is good and turns away what is not. After praying it, act on what seems best after consultation; if the matter becomes easy, it is a sign of good, and if it becomes blocked, accept that Allah chose better.
Istikhara is made for permissible matters whose outcome is unknown: a marriage, a job, a move, a purchase. One does not make istikhara about doing an obligation or a sin. It can be repeated if one is still unsure, and it combines well with seeking advice from experienced people.
Meaning of the istikhara du‘a
“O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge” means: choose for me by Your knowledge that encompasses everything; “and I seek ability from Your power” means: enable me to do good, “for You are able and I am not, You know and I do not.” The du‘a admits the servant’s weakness and limited knowledge, entrusts everything to Allah and asks to be content with His decree: “Decree for me what is good wherever it is, then make me pleased with it.”
Practical tips
- Write down the decision clearly before praying.
- Pray istikhara at a calm time, for example after the night prayer.
- Consult experienced people as well; istikhara and advice go together.
- Then act, and watch whether the matter becomes easy or blocked.
- Accept the outcome with trust: what Allah chooses is better.
Istikhara Prayer and Dua: questions and answers
Can someone else pray istikhara for me?
The majority say the person concerned should pray it; others may help with advice and general du‘a.
Can I pray istikhara without the two rak‘ahs?
If prayer is not possible, for example during menstruation, many scholars allow saying the du‘a alone.