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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
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الدعاء

Wudu, masjid and salah

Istikhara dua and how to pray it

When you have to decide on something permissible: a proposal, a job, a move, a purchase. Pray two rak'ahs, then say this dua.

Part 1

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi'ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as'aluka min faḍlikal-'aẓīm, fa innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa lā a'lam, wa anta 'allāmul-ghuyūb

O Allah, I ask You to guide me to what is best through Your knowledge, I ask You for strength through Your power, and I ask You of Your immense bounty. You are able and I am not; You know and I do not; and You are the Knower of all that is hidden.

Part 2 · at "hādhal-amr", think of your matter

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ

Allāhumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hādhal-amra khayrun lī fī dīnī wa ma'āshī wa 'āqibati amrī, faqdurhu lī wa yassirhu lī thumma bārik lī fīh

O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and how my affairs turn out, then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it.

Part 3

وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hādhal-amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wa ma'āshī wa 'āqibati amrī, faṣrifhu 'annī waṣrifnī 'anhu, waqdur liyal-khayra ḥaythu kāna thumma arḍinī bih

And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood and how my affairs turn out, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1166

How to pray Istikhara

  1. 1
    Make wudu

    Be in a state of wudu, as for any salah.

  2. 2
    Pray two rak'ahs of nafl

    Make the intention of two rak'ahs of Salat al-Istikhara. Any surahs are fine; many Hanafi scholars recommend Surah al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second. Do not pray it at the three disliked times: sunrise, midday (zawal) and sunset.

  3. 3
    Praise Allah and send salawat

    After the salam, praise Allah and send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, as you would before any dua.

  4. 4
    Recite the Istikhara dua

    Read the dua above. When you reach "hādhal-amr" (this matter), think of your matter or name it, for example "this marriage proposal". You may read it from a paper or phone.

  5. 5
    Go ahead and trust Allah

    Then do what your heart settles on and what seems best after thinking and asking advice. You do not need to sleep straight after or to see a dream. If you are still unsure, you can repeat the Istikhara on the following days; some scholars mention up to seven times.

When to say it

When you have to decide on something permissible: a proposal, a job, a move, a purchase. Pray two rak'ahs, then say this dua.

Good to know

  • Istikhara is asking Allah to choose for you; also ask people you trust (istisharah).
  • The Prophet ﷺ taught it to his Companions the way he taught them a surah of the Qur'an.

Related duas

More in Wudu, masjid and salah: Dua after wuduDua after adhanDua for entering the masjidDua for leaving the masjidThana: the opening dua in salahTasbih in ruku and sujudDua between the two sajdahsAt-Tahiyyat (tashahhud)Durood IbrahimDua before salamSeeking refuge before salamDhikr after salah

All 92 duas

Questions

Istikhara dua

Where is it from?
It is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166.
Can I pray Istikhara at night after Isha?
Yes. Any time is fine except the three disliked times (sunrise, midday and sunset). Many people choose the night, after Isha or before Fajr.
Can a woman on her period do Istikhara?
She cannot pray the two rak'ahs, but she can read the Istikhara dua on its own and ask Allah for what is best.
Do I need to see a dream after Istikhara?
No. Nothing in the hadith says you will see a dream. The answer is that Allah makes the matter easy or turns you away from it. A dream may come, but do not wait for one.
Can someone else pray Istikhara for me?
The hadith teaches each person to pray it for themselves, and that is best. Parents and others can of course make dua for you.
Is Istikhara for every decision?
It is for permissible matters where you are unsure. There is no Istikhara for something obligatory or something forbidden.

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