Dua for Istikhara 🤍 “Seeking Guidance: Complete Guide to Istikhara Dua”

To perform the Istikhara prayer and recite the Istikhara dua, follow these steps and use the following supplication:

Steps to Perform Istikhara

• Pray two non-obligatory rak’ahs (units of prayer) at any time that is not disliked. These rak’ahs are similar to those in other supererogatory prayers.
• It is recommended to recite the Istikhara dua after these two rak’ahs.
• It is advisable to face the qibla and to recite the dua before sleeping, although this is not necessary.

Istikhara Dua

Allâhumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as’aluka min fadlikal-azimi,
Fa innaka taqdiru walâ aqdiru wa ta’lamu walâ a’lamu wa anta allamul ghuyubi.
Allâhumma in kunta ta’lamu anna hâdhal amra khayrun li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri faqdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fihi.
Wa in-kunta ta’lamu anna hâdhal amra sharrun li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu waqdir liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardini bihee.

Translation

“O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek Your power through Your might, and I ask for Your great bounty. You are capable and I am 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 my religion, my livelihood, and my afterlife, then decree it for me and make it easy for me, and bless me in it.
And if You know that this matter is bad for my religion, my livelihood, and my afterlife, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.”

Repeating the Istikhara Dua for Marriage

• If you are not clear about the result of the Istikhara, it is recommended to repeat it up to 7 times if necessary, usually done on separate occasions.

Additional Recommendations

• Open and close the dua with praise of Allah and sending blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
• Avoid hastening to seek the answer to your istikhara, as patience is key.
• If you cannot perform the prayer, you can simply read the Istikhara dua.
• It is recommended to seek advice from knowledgeable individuals and to suspend your own judgment or inclination about the matter, waiting for Allah to guide you.