Dua Istikhara - Seeking Allah's Guidance
Dua Istikhara (دُعَاءُ الاستِخارة) is a prayer for seeking Allah's guidance when making important decisions. It is performed after two rakats of voluntary prayer.
What is Salat al-Istikhara?
Salat al-Istikhara (صَلَاةُ الاسْتِخَارَة) is the Prayer of Seeking Guidance, a two-rakah voluntary prayer followed by a specific dua in which a Muslim asks Allah to choose the better of two permissible options. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught Istikhara to his companions with the same emphasis that he taught the chapters of the Qur'an, instructing them to perform it before any matter — a marriage proposal, a job offer, a journey, a business decision — where the right path is not obvious. The word istikhara literally means "to seek the good (khayr)", and the prayer is the believer's tool for handing the unknown back to the One who knows the seen and the unseen.
The Arabic Text of Dua Istikhara
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 فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ.
Transliteration: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi-'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika al-'azim. Fa-innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamu al-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu waqdur li al-khayra haythu kana thumma ardini bih.
Translation: "O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask You from Your immense bounty. For verily You are able 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 me concerning my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, 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 concerning my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, 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."
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1166 — narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah (RA): "The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the istikhara in all matters as he taught us the surahs of the Qur'an."
How to Perform Salat al-Istikhara — Step by Step
- Form the intention in your heart to pray two rakahs of voluntary prayer (nafl) specifically for Istikhara regarding the matter at hand. It is not necessary to verbalise the intention aloud.
- Pray two rakahs outside the prohibited times (sunrise, zenith, sunset). In the first rakah, after Surah al-Fatihah, many scholars recommend reciting Surah al-Kafirun; in the second, Surah al-Ikhlas — though any surah is acceptable.
- Conclude the prayer with the tasleem, then raise your hands and recite the Istikhara dua above. When you reach the phrase "hadha al-amr" (this matter), name the specific decision in your heart — "marrying so-and-so", "accepting this job", "moving to that city".
- Proceed with the matter after the prayer. Istikhara is not a request for dreams or signs; it is a request that Allah arrange ease around what is good for you and obstacles around what is harmful. Then trust Allah's decree.
When Should You Pray Istikhara?
Istikhara is for permissible (mubah) decisions where two or more lawful options exist and you are uncertain which is better — accepting a marriage proposal, choosing a university, taking a job, buying a house, starting a business, or going on a particular journey. It is not prayed for matters that are already obligatory or prohibited; you do not need Istikhara to decide whether to pray Fajr or to avoid riba. Imam an-Nawawi mentions in al-Adhkar that Istikhara should be performed before consulting people (mashura), although both are recommended together. If circumstances do not permit two rakahs — for example, during travel or in the middle of a meeting — many scholars allow reciting the dua alone, though the complete Sunnah is to perform the full prayer.
Common Questions About Istikhara
Do I need to see a dream for the answer?
No. Nothing in the Hadith of Bukhari mentions a dream. The widespread expectation of a "white dream means yes, black means no" has no basis in the Sunnah. The answer to Istikhara is in the unfolding of events — ease and openness toward what is good, and obstacles or loss of interest toward what is harmful.
Can I repeat the Istikhara?
Yes. Imam Ibn al-Sunni narrated that the Prophet ﷺ told Anas ibn Malik (RA) to repeat the Istikhara seven times for matters about which the heart remains uncertain. Repeating until clarity comes is a recommended practice of many scholars.
Can someone perform Istikhara on my behalf?
No. The dua is in the first person — "khayrun li" (good for me) — and the matter concerns your own affairs. Others may make general dua for your guidance, but the Sunnah Istikhara is performed by the person facing the decision.
What if I prayed Istikhara and the matter still failed?
Then by Allah's mercy, that "failure" was the answer — He turned you away from what would have harmed you in your religion, your livelihood or your final outcome. The believer who prays Istikhara never regrets the result, because every result is the answer.