Du’aa’ for Istikhaarah (Seeking Allah’s Guidance in Making Choices)
Teaching Muslims how to make istikhaarah, the Prophet says: “If anyone of you considers doing something, he should offer a two-Rak’ah prayer other than the obligatory ones, then say:
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 فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Allaahumma ‘innee ‘astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika, wa ‘astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as’aluka min fadhlikal-‘Adheemi, fa ‘innaka taqdiru wa laa ‘aqdiru, wa ta’lamu, wa laa ‘a’lamu, wa ‘Anta ‘Allaamul Ghuyoobi, Allaahumma in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna haadhal-amra – [then mention the thing to be decided] khayrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajilihi wa ‘aajilihi – Faqdurhu lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik lee feehi, wa ‘in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna hathal ‘amra, sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajilihi wa ‘aajilihi – Fasrifhu ‘annee wasrifnee ‘anhu waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kaana thumma ‘ardhinee bihi
“O Allah! I scck guidance from Your knowledge, and Power from Your Might, and I ask for Your great blessings. You are competent, but I am not. You know, but I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If, in your knowledge, that thing (for which you are seeking guidance) is good for my faith, my subsistence and my Hereafter (You can say, ‘… good for my present and future”), ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it. If, in Your knowledge, it is harmful for my faith, subsistence and Hereafter, (You can say, ‘… harmful for my present and future), keep it away from me, and keep me away from it. Ordain whatever is good for me, and make me contented with it-you mention the thing for which you are doing the.”(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6382)
