Supplication of the istikharah prayer

Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) narrated: “Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to teach us istikharah in all matters just as he would teach us a surah of the Quran. He would say: When any of you intends to do something, let him pray two rak'ahs other than the obligatory prayer, then say this supplication:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّيْٓ اَسْتَخِيْرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَاَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ و اَسْئَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيْمِ فَاِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَآ اَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَآ اَعْلَمُ وَاَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ اَنَّ هٰذَا الْاَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِّيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ اَمْرِيْ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِيْ وَيَسِّرْهُ لِيْ ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِيْ فِيْهِ وَاِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ اَنَّ هٰذَا الْاَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِّيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ اَمْرِيْ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ اَرْضِنِيْ بِهٖ¹

O Allah! Indeed, I seek good from You through Your knowledge, I seek ability from You through Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. For You have power and I have none; You know and I do not know; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then decree it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in 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, then make me pleased with it.

And consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah.

Whoever seeks good from Allah the Most High through istikharah, consults believing people and then carries out the matter firmly will not regret it. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْاَمْرِ فَاِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ﴾²

1. 1

   Sahih al-Bukhari, no. (6382), Sunan Abi Dawud, no. (1538), Sunan at-Tirmidhi, no. (480), Sunan an-Nasa'i, no. (3253), Sunan Ibn Majah, no. (1383).

2. 2

   Surah Al Imran, no. (3), verse (159).