Consultation Prayer (Salat al-Istikhara)
Consult Allah before any important decision
The consultation prayer (Istikhara) allows you to ask Allah to guide you before an important decision: marriage, work, a project, travel, etc.
Perform ablutions
Make sure you are in a state of ritual purity
Pray two supererogatory rak'at
Perform two non-obligatory units of prayer
Recite the complete supplication
After the final salutation, recite the Istikhara du'a below
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 الأَمْرَ (اسم القضية)
خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي،
فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي،
ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ،
وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي،
فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ،
وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ،
ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ.
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika,
wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika,
wa as'aluka min fadlika-l-'azim,
fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru,
wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu,
wa anta 'allamu-l-ghuyub.
Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-l-amr (name the matter)
khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri,
fa-qdurhu li wa yassirhu li,
thumma barik li fihi,
wa in kunta ta'lamu annahu sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri,
fa-srifhu 'anni wa-srifni 'anhu,
wa-qdur liya-l-khayra haythu kan,
thumma ardini bihi.
"O Allah, I seek Your counsel through Your knowledge, I seek Your assistance through Your power and I ask You of Your immense favour. For You are capable and I am not, You know and I do not know, and You are the Great Knower of all that is unseen.
O Allah, if You know that this matter (name the matter) is good for me in my religion, my life, and my ultimate end, then decree it for me, facilitate it for me, and bless it for me.
And if You know that it is harmful to me in my religion, my life, and my ultimate end, then avert it from me and avert me from it, and decree for me whatever is good wherever it may be, then make me pleased with it."
Authentic reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari, n°1166
💡Important notes
- •No dream is required. Some wrongly think a dream is needed. In reality, the answer comes through the ease or difficulty of the matter.
- •Clearly mention the matter in your heart when you say "(name the matter)"
- •Trust in Allah: if the matter unfolds easily, it is a good sign. If it becomes difficult or closed, Allah is protecting you from it.