Istikhara Dua
The prayer for guidance, step by step: two voluntary rakahs, the full dua in Arabic with transliteration and translation, and an honest note on what counts as an answer.
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Step by step
Tick each step as you do it. Progress: 0 of 7 done
The 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، أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa asaluka min fadlika al-azim. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa talamu wa la alamu, wa anta allam al-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta talamu anna hadha al-amra khayrun li fi dini wa maashi wa aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta talamu anna hadha al-amra sharrun li fi dini wa maashi wa aqibati amri, fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu, waqdur li al-khayra haythu kana, thumma ardini bihi.
Translation: O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. You have power and I do not. 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 end of my affair, 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 end of my affair, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it is, then make me content with it.
The audio uses your device text-to-speech voice in Arabic. It is a reading aid, not a recitation recording. If no Arabic voice is installed on your device, the button may read in a default voice or stay silent.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 1162, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah: the Prophet taught istikhara in all matters as he taught surahs of the Quran, with two voluntary rakahs followed by this dua.
Istikhara is a prayer, not a fortune-telling ritual
Istikhara means asking Allah to choose for you when a decision is unclear. The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (1162) is short: if you intend to do something, pray two voluntary rakahs, then say the dua, naming your matter where the dua says "this matter". The dua asks for the matter if it is good for your religion, your livelihood and your end, and asks for it to be kept away if it is bad for those three. That is the whole structure.
Two common misunderstandings cause most of the confusion. First, no dream is required. Ease, obstruction, or a settled heart after praying are the signs scholars point to, and a dream on its own proves nothing. Second, istikhara does not replace homework. The Prophet taught it alongside consultation and practical effort, not instead of them. Pray, research, ask people who know the field, then decide, and let the outcome after the prayer carry weight.
A checklist, not a lecture
The page gives seven steps you can tick off in order, with your own matter filled into step 3. The Arabic, transliteration and translation sit together so you can read along even if you have not memorised the dua yet.
When istikhara does not apply
Istikhara is for matters that are allowed and unclear, like a job offer or a marriage proposal. It is not for deciding whether to do something obligatory or forbidden: those decisions are already made by the religion itself.
How to use this guide
- Type your matter so it appears in step 3.
- Work through the steps in order, ticking each one.
- Read the dua after the two rakahs, naming your matter at "this matter".
- Do the practical research, then decide. Repeat on another night if you are still unsure.
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