When we stand at a crossroads in life, unsure of which path to take, our hearts naturally seek guidance. As Muslims, we have a beautiful gift from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to turn to in such moments: Salat al-Istikhara. The very word Istikhara means to ask Allah ﷻ for the best outcome, trusting that His wisdom is greater than our own. Through this prayer, we place our decision in Allah’s hands, asking Him to grant what will bring goodness to our faith, our livelihood, and our Hereafter, while protecting us from what could harm us. Istikhara is not about predicting the future—it is about living with tawakkul, trusting that Allah’s choice for us is always better than what we could choose for ourselves, much like seeking dua for impossible to possible when outcomes feel out of reach.
In this post, we’ll share the authentic dua of Istikhara in Arabic, along with transliteration and translation, so you can recite it with ease and sincerity whenever your heart seeks Allah’s guidance.
Authentic Dua for Istikhara (Arabic • Transliteration • Translation)
The beautiful dua of Istikhara was directly taught by our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Jabir ibn Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would teach the Companions this supplication for guidance in all matters, just as carefully as he would teach them a surah from the Qur’an. This shows how important and valuable this dua is for a believer’s life.
Here is the dua, preserved for us to recite today whenever we seek Allah’s guidance:
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي. Dua for Istikhara Transliteration: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi’ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as’aluka min fadlika al-‘azim, fa’innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta‘lamu wa la a‘lam, wa anta ‘allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadha al-amra khayrun li fi deeni wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri, aw qala fi ‘ajili amri wa ajilihi, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadha al-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri, aw qala fi ‘ajili amri wa ajilihi, fasrifhu ‘anni wasrifni ‘anhu, waqdur li al-khayra haythu kan, thumma ardini. Dua for Istikhara English Translation: “O Allah, I ask You for guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek strength through Your power, and I beg You from Your endless bounty. You have power and I do not; You know and I do not; and You alone are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter is good for me in my religion, my provision, and my future, then decree it for me, make it easy, and bless it for me. But if You know it will harm me in my religion, my provision, or my future, 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.”
How to Perform Istikhara (Step-by-Step Guide)?
The prayer of Istikhara was taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to help us when we feel uncertain about an important decision. It is prayed as two rak‘ahs of voluntary salah (nafl), followed by reciting the dua of Istikhara. Its purpose is not to chase after dreams or wait for signs, but to hand the matter over to Allah ﷻ and rely on His wisdom.
Steps to Perform Istikhara:
- Make wudu (ablution).
- Pray two rak‘ahs of voluntary salah, with the intention of Istikhara.
- After finishing the prayer, recite the dua of Istikhara sincerely.
- When you say “this matter” in the dua, think of or mention the decision you are asking guidance about — whether marriage, business, travel, or any other choice.
- Place your trust in Allah’s decree — if the matter is good, Allah will open the way and give you peace in it; if it is not good, He will turn you from it and guide you toward something better, just as one seeks dua for new house or dua for interview before major life decisions.
The heart of Istikhara is tawakkul (trusting Allah) and rida (being content with His choice) — knowing that Allah always chooses what is best for His servant. That same spirit of surrender is reflected when people recite dua for travel (Safar ki dua) or dua for rizq, handing over their affairs to Allah ﷻ.
Best Time & Etiquette of Istikhara
You can pray Istikhara at any time when voluntary salah is allowed. There is no fixed hour or condition—whenever a decision weighs on your heart, you may turn to Allah with Istikhara. Many scholars encourage performing it at night, especially before sleep, because the heart tends to be calmer and more focused at that time. But remember: Istikhara is not limited to a special season or moment—it is a door to Allah’s guidance that remains open whenever you need Him.
Etiquette of Istikhara (Adab)
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- Pray with sincerity (ikhlāṣ). Do not hold tightly to your own preference—open your heart to whatever Allah decrees.
- Face the Qiblah and pray with humility. Let your salah and dua be filled with khushūʿ (devotion and presence of heart).
- Begin with praise and salawat. Start by praising Allah ﷻ and sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, both before and after the dua.
- Supplicate with trust. Know with certainty that Allah’s wisdom is greater than yours, and His plan is always best.
- Accept with contentment (rida). Even if the outcome differs from what you hoped, believe that Allah has chosen what will bring you closer to Him.
The essence of Istikhara is taslīm—surrendering your will to Allah ﷻ. When you hand over your matter to Him, you are seeking not only what is best for your dunya, but also what will benefit you most in your ākhirah, much like the duas of the Prophets who always sought divine guidance before acting.
FAQs — Istikhara
Mohammed Basheer is the founder of Sukoonly.com, an Islamic blog focused on duas, prophetic healing, and Qur’anic wisdom. He writes with sincerity and spiritual depth for seekers around the world.