Dua Al-Istikhara: Prayer for Seeking Guidance in Decision-Making
Key Takeaways:
- Significance of Istikhara: Istikhara is a powerful prayer for seeking Allah's guidance in making important decisions, emphasizing reliance on His wisdom and knowledge.
- Structure of the Prayer: The prayer involves performing two non-obligatory rak'ahs followed by the specific dua, where the matter at hand is mentioned.
- Seeking Divine Help: The dua seeks Allah's help in determining the best course of action, asking for ease, blessings, and contentment with the outcome.
Narrated by Jabir: The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to teach us the Istikhara for every matter as he used to teach us the Suras from the Holy Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you intends to do something, he should offer a two-rak`at prayer other than the obligatory prayer, and then say the following dua. Then he should mention his matter (need)." - Sahih al-Bukhari 6382
The Dua:
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، 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.
Transliteration: Allahumma innee astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qadratika wa as’aluka min fadlika al-’adheem fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa ta’lamu wa la a’lamu wa anta ‘allaam ul-ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta’lamu anna haadha al-amra khayrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati amree faqdurhu lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik lee feehi wa in kunta ta’lamu anna haadha al-amara sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati amree fasrifhu ‘annee wasrifnee ‘anhu waqdur lee al-khayra haythu kaana thumma ardinee bih.
Translation: O Allah, I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, and I do not. You know, and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [mention the thing to be decided] is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, my worldly affairs, and in the hereafter then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, my worldly affairs, and in the hereafter then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me the good wherever it may be and make me content with it.
Find different Islamic prayer tools, like Tasbih Misbaha Hidashar, to help you with your spiritual routines.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the purpose of the Istikhara prayer?
A: The purpose of the Istikhara prayer is to seek Allah's guidance in making decisions, relying on His infinite wisdom and knowledge to determine the best course of action.
Q: When should the Istikhara prayer be performed?
A: The Istikhara prayer should be performed when faced with a significant decision. It involves praying two non-obligatory rak'ahs followed by the specific Istikhara dua.
Q: How do you perform the Istikhara prayer?
A: To perform the Istikhara prayer, one should offer two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then recite the Istikhara dua, mentioning the matter for which guidance is sought.
Q: What should you expect after performing Istikhara?
A: After performing Istikhara, one should look for signs or feelings of ease or discomfort regarding the decision. Trust in Allah's guidance and be content with the outcome, whether it aligns with personal desires or not.
Q: Can Istikhara be repeated?
A: Yes, Istikhara can be repeated if clarity is not achieved. It is a way to continually seek Allah's guidance and ensure that the decision is in line with His wisdom and plan.
