Arabic

اَللَّهُـمَّ إِ نِّي أَسْتَخِيْرُ كَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِ رُكَ بِقُدْ رَ تِكَ وَأَسْأَ لُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ا لْعَظِيْمِ فَإِ نَّكَ تَقْدِ رُ وَلَا أَ قْدِ رُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَ عْلَمُ وَأَ نْتَ عَلَّامُ ا لْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُـمَّ إِ نْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَن َّ هَذَا ا لْأَ مْرَ خَيْرٌ لِيْ فِيْ دِ يْنِي وَمَعَا شِيْ وَعَا قِبَةِ أَ مْرِي فَا قْدُ رْهُ لِيْ وَ يَسِّرْهُ لِيْ ثُم َّ بَا رِكْ لِيْ فِيْهِ وَ إِ نْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَن َّ هَذَ ا ا لْأَ مْرَ شَرٌّ فِيْ دِ يْنِي وَمَعَا شِيْ وَعَا قِبَةِ أَمْرِ يْ فَا صْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ وَا قْدُ رْ لِيَ ا لْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَا نَ ثُم َّ ار ْضِنِيْ بِهِ


Pronunciation

Allahumma innee astakheeruka bi ilmika wa-astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru walaa aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu walaa a'alamu wa anta allaamul ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal-amr khayrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-'aaqibat amriy, fa'qdruhliy wa-yassirh liy thumma baarik liy feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amr sharrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-'aaqibat amriy. Fa asrifh annee wa-srif 'anhu. Wa aqdurh liyal khayr hayth kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee


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, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa'i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad)



Benefit

The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make istikhaarah in all things, just as he used to teach them surah’s from the Qur’an. He said: ‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say the above.

(Al-Bukhaari, 6841; similar reports are also recorded by al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad)

 

When to pray:

‘Let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer.’ This is mentioned to make it clear that it does not mean fajr prayer, for example. Al-Nawawi said in al-Adhkaar: He can pray istikaarah after two rak’ahs of regular sunnah prayer done at zuhr for example, or after two rak’ahs of any naafil prayers whether they are regularly performed or not.

 

Wisdom:

The wisdom behind putting the salaat before the du’aa’ is that istikhaarah is intended to combine the goodness of this world with the goodness of the next. A person needs to knock at the door of the King (Allaah), and there is nothing more effective for this than prayer, because it contains glorification and praise of Allaah, and expresses one's need for Him at all times.

 

Answers:

The secret is that one’s heart should not be attached to the matter in question, because that will result in a person becoming restless. Being pleased with something means that one’s heart is content with the decree of Allaah.