Istikhara is a Sunnah prayer and supplication used when a person is considering a permissible matter and wants Allah to guide them toward what is good.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-'azim.
O Allah, I seek the best from You by Your knowledge, I seek ability from You by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty.
Hadith — Sahih al-Bukhari — Hadith of Istikhara
Authenticity: Sahih
Meaning and Explanation
The complete Istikhara dua asks Allah for beneficial knowledge, ability, ease and the best outcome.
When to Recite
Use Istikhara when considering a permissible decision such as marriage, work, travel or another important matter.
How to Recite
Pray two voluntary rak'ahs and then recite the established Istikhara supplication, mentioning the matter being considered.
Important Notes
The full Istikhara dua is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari. Istikhara is not a method of fortune telling and does not require waiting for a dream.
Benefits
Istikhara teaches a believer to depend upon Allah while making responsible decisions.
Additional Duas
اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي
Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra khayrun li
O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me...
Content type: Hadith
Tags:
istikhara dua
dua for istikhara
decision prayer
guidance dua
Sunnah