What is the Istikhara Prayer?

The Istikhara prayer is a special method to seek the best course of action, in matter big & small, and it is from the authentic Sunah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The word "istikhāra" literally means to seek that which is good. It is an key way to connect with Allah as we journey through life's trials; it helps to set your heart firmly in His remembrance, increase your trust & reliance upon Him.

Many people mistakenly assume that one should only recite this prayer if one is ambivalent and has not come to a decision on a matter, however this prayer is also strongly recommended after one had made the decision. Because once we make up our mind concerning a matter we must remember that our desires and decisions may not always be what's best. This prayer will help ensure that God facilitates whatever is best for us, even if we didn't choose correctly. In any situation, doing Istikhara prayer should give you guidance, confidence and clarity, no matter what happens.

Seeking God's help also requires that we put in our own effort with the support and means that Allah's given us with. That means one should do their due diligence: Use your own rationale and assess your circumstances. Do your own research. And seek advice, i.e. ask someone of experience and knowledge in the topic you're looking for guidance on.

In an authentic hadith related by Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, he said, "The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara in all matters just as he would teach us the Surahs of the Qur'an. He said, 'If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say [and then he recited the dua].'" [Bukhari]

1. Make a solid intention to do the Istikhara prayer

To make an "intention" simply means to have a plan in your heart of whatever you want to do, and its purpose. So be sure, before starting the Salah, that the plan in your mind is to offer the prayer of Istikhara for seeking Allah's guidance.

2. Pray 2 Raka'as of Nafl Salāh

Perform the prayer just as you would do any other prayer, such as Fajr, e.g. with wudu, covering your private parts, facing the Qibla, etc. There are no other special requirements.

3. Recite the du'ā & mention your need

Once you finish - ie, you say your salām to end the prayer - recite the du'ā (prayer) of istikhāra in Arabic as recommended to us by the Prophet ﷺ and then mention your need (in any language you prefer). If you don't have the dua memorized, you may read it from a book or device, whether in Arabic, transliteration, or simply the English translation. No extra du'ā afterwards is required.

Expected Outcomes: You will NOT necessarily see a dream/vision/sign/etc. Allāh ﷻ will place a bit of inclination in your heart towards going through with the action or not.

Conclusion: Istikhāra is a natural process, just like asking for a close friend for advice - don't expect anything "otherworldly". All istikhāra ensures is that you have the blessings of Allāh backing your choice. One should never do istikhāra for Ḥarām actions (ex. Should I drink this alcohol?) nor for obligatory actions (ex. Should I pray ʿĪshāʾ today?). Do not regret your decision afterwards as doing so would be to regret and doubt in Allāh's guidance. Even if your decision "doesn't work out" how you envisioned, know that it was better for you and that there are blessings in it even if you can't see them yet.

Du'a of Istikhara

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، ‭[mention decision here] اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ
‬ خَيْرٌلِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ لَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Allāhumma innī astakhīruka biʿilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as-aluka min faḍlikal-ʿaẓīm fa innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdiru wa taʿlamu wa la aʿlamu wa anta ʿallāmul-ghuyūb. Allāhumma, in kunta taʿlamu anna hadhal-amra [mention the need or decision here]
khayrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī waʿāqibati amrī faqdurhu lī wa ya (a)s-sirhu lī thumma barik lī fīhi. Wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hadha (a)l-amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amri faṣrifhu ʿannī waṣrifni ʿanhu waqdir lil-khayra haythu kāna thumma arḍīnī bihi.

Dear God, I’m asking You for goodness through Your [Infinite] Knowledge, and I’m asking You for strength through Your Divine Ability, and I’m asking You from Your Infinite Grace. Because You’re completely able to do, while I simply cannot. You know everything, and I do not, and You know everything that’s unseen. Dear God, if You know that this matter [mention the need or decision here] is good for me in terms of my Deen, my worldly life, and afterlife, then decree it, facilitate it for me with ease, and bless me through it. But if You know that this has bad consequences on my religiosity, my worldly life, and afterlife, then get it away from me and get me away from it, and [instead of that] decree what’s better for me, whatever it may be, and make me content with it.

FAQs about Istikhara

What if I do the prayer but still can't come to a decision?

Then know that God simply hasn’t placed that inclination in your heart yet. This could be a sign that God ﷻ wants you to keep begging Him and asking Him for His Divine Help and Assistance in this process. Keep making duā & never lose hope. Even if you asked a thousand times with no response, that’s no reason to stop asking. Allah always keeps His promise, and will take care of you.

What if I'm not very 'practicing' and don't feel like my du'ā will be answered?

Allāh is accessible to all; He is always there for you. Even the greatest sinner can turn back and ask Allāh. And the desire to call on Him, talk to Him, ask Him is a very good sign that He wants you back! It is a sign of your sincerity and growing trust in Allāh.

What if the decision affects more than just me?

Then remind/advice others to do the prayer as well. Everyone involved should all be praying their own istikhāra. Even if they are not Muslim, you can encourage them to pray & ask God for guidance!

Can I pray istikhāra even if I'm already confident in my decision?

Yes, absolutely! That is because it'll increase the blessings in your actions, give you increased confidence and clarity. And if you didn't make the best decision, God will turn it away from you in whatever way is best, according to His vast knowledge and power, and thwart away harm from you. The companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, would di Istikhāra even for simple everyday matters.

Can I recite the du'ā without praying the two rakaʿāt of Salah?

The Prophet ﷺ explicitly said to perform the two rakaʿāt, however you may recite the duā by itself if it’s it's impossible or exceedingly difficult to do the Salah, you don't have time to do it, and you have an immediate decision to make. So for instance, a sister who is currently not praying may make this du'ā without the physical prayer.

What if I have trouble saying it in Arabic?

Say the du'ā in English, or whichever language you prefer and know that Allāh understands your prayers to Him no matter what language it’s in. — The most important thing is to make it come from the heart. Make it good, authentic & genuine. God wants us to come to Him for our needs, first and foremost. If that’s best conveyed in a language other than Arabic, then sobeit.

If Allāh understands all languages and du’as, then why should I recite this in Arabic?

The Prophet ﷺ is the one who taught us this du'ā; just by uttering the very words that he ﷺ uttered, we may receive tremendous blessings. Additionally, his noble companions said that The Prophet ﷺ taught them this du'ā just like he ﷺ taught them parts of The Qurʾān, implying that one should do it exactly as he did it, to the best of one's ability.

I made a decision without performing Istikhāra. Am I doomed?

No. Istikhāra is the God's servant way of seeking his Lord for blessings in his decision, but his Lord is far too Generous to make His Blessings dependent upon the actions of His slave. If you forgot or didn't do it for any reason, you can do Istikhara after the decision was made, or at least make dua for the best outcome. Prayer is our lifeline. It's our constant connection to Allah, and Allah loves you - don't cut yourself off from Him.

Is there a certain number of times one should do Istikhara?

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t specify a number for us. So whether it’s once or a thousands times is all based on the individual. If you still haven’t felt an inclination towards a decision, keep asking. If you did feel an inclination, know that that is from God and accept it. There is no need to keep asking to be “sure” of the istikhāra.