Dua al-Istikhara — Istikharah (seeking Allah's Counsel)

قَالَ جَابرُ بنُ عَبدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُمَا: كَانَ رسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الاستِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ القُرآنِ، يَقُولُ: ((إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُم بِالأَمرِ فَليَركَع رَكعَتَينِ مِن غَيرِ الفَرِيضَةِ، ثُمَّ ليَقُل: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَستَخِيرُكَ بِعِلمِكَ، وَأَستَقدِرُكَ بِقُدرَتِكَ، وَأَسأَلُكَ مِن فَضلِكَ العَظِيمِ؛ فَإِنَّكَ تَقدِرُ وَلاَ أَقدِرُ، وَتَعلَمُ وَلاَ أَعلَمُ، وَأَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِن كُنتَ تَعلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأمرَ - وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ - خَيرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمرِي – أَو قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ - فَاقدُرهُ لِي وَيَسِّرهُ لِي ثمَّ بَارِك لِي فِيهِ، وَإِن كُنتَ تَعلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمرِي – أَو قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ – فَاصرِفهُ عَنِّي وَاصرِفنِي عَنهُ وَاقدُر لِيَ الخَيرَ حَيثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرضِنِي بِهِ)).وَمَا نَدِمَ مَنِ استَخَارَ الخَالِقَ، وَشَاوَرَ المَخلُوقِينَ المُؤمِنِينَ وَتَثَبَّتَ فِي أَمرِهِ، فَقَد قَالَ اللَّه تعالى: ﴿وَشاوِرهُم فِي الأَمرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمتَ فَتَوَكَّل عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾ .

Approximate Arabic reading aid

Qāla jābru bnu 'abdi allāhi raḍiya allāhu 'anhumā: kāna rasūlu allāhi ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam yu'allimunā alastikhārata fī al'umūri kullihā kamā yu'allimunā as-sūrata mina alqurāni, yaqūlu: idhā hamma aḥadukum bil-'amri falyarka' rak'atayni min ghayri alfarīḍati, thumma lyaqul: allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi'ilmika, wa'astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa'as'aluka min faḍlika al'aẓīmi; fa'innaka taqdiru walā aqdiru, wata'lamu walā a'lamu, wa'anta 'allāmu alghuyūbi, allāhumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hādhā al'amra - wayusammī ḥājatahu - khayrun lī fī dīnī wama'āshī wa'āqibati amrī – aw qāla: 'ājilihi wa ājilihi - faqdurhu lī wayassirhu lī thumma bārik lī fīhi, wa'in kunta ta'lamu anna hādhā al'amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wama'āshī wa'āqibati amrī – aw qāla: 'ājilihi wa ājilihi – faṣrifhu 'annī waṣrifnī 'anhu waqdur liya alkhayra ḥaythu kāna, thumma arḍinī bihi. wamā nadima mani astakhāra alkhāliqa, washāwara almakhlūqīna almu'minīna watathabbata fī amrihi, faqad qāla allāh ta'ālā: washawirhum fī al'amri fa'idhā 'azamta fatawakkal 'alā allāhi.

English meaning

On the authority of Jabir Ibn AAabdullah , he said: ’The Prophet would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. He would say ’ If any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rakAAah nafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:‘O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.)(One who seeks guidance from his Creator and consults his fellow believers and then remains firm in his resolve does not regret, for Allah has said:…and consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah…

Explanation (Tafseer)

The Istikhara supplication begins by acknowledging Allah's knowledge, power, and immense favor alongside the supplicant's limited ability and knowledge. The chosen matter is then presented conditionally: if it is good, it asks for ease and blessing; if harmful, for mutual separation, followed by whatever is good and contentment with it.

When to use

Istikharah (seeking Allah's Counsel)

Reference & source

Hisn al-Muslim 74

Open source