Daily & morning/evening
Du'a of Istikhara (seeking Allah's guidance in a decision)
This is the du'a of Istikhara, the prayer for guidance the Prophet ﷺ taught his companions for any decision, the way he would teach a surah of the Qur'an. You pray two units of voluntary prayer, then say this du'a, naming your matter, and ask Allah to decree it for you if it is good and turn it away if it is not. Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (1166).
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ
Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, wa as'aluka min faḍlikal-ʿaẓīm. Fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdir, wa taʿlamu wa lā aʿlam, wa anta ʿallāmul-ghuyūb.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. For You are able and I am not, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of all that is unseen.
Authenticity: Sahih (authentic), reported by al-Bukhari (1166), from Jabir ibn Abdullah.
Download image to shareWhen to say it
When you face a choice and want Allah to guide you to what is best: marriage, a job, a move, or any lawful matter. Pray two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer first, then say this du'a and name your specific matter where the wording calls for it.
How often
Once, after praying two rak'ahs (outside the forbidden times of prayer). If your heart is still unsettled, you may repeat the istikhara.
Frequently asked
How do you perform Salat al-Istikhara?
Pray two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, not the obligatory ones, then while still seated say this du'a. At the point where you ask Allah to decree the matter, name your specific decision. The Prophet ﷺ taught it in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166 for every matter that concerns you.
What sign do I look for after Istikhara?
There is no required dream or feeling. You make the du'a with trust, then proceed with what your circumstances and sound reasoning point to, confident that Allah has guided the outcome toward what is best for you, even if it is not what you first wanted.