Istikhara dua and how to pray salat al-istikhara
Istikhara means asking Allah to choose what is best for you. The Prophet ﷺ taught it for “all matters”, as carefully as a surah of the Quran: two rak‘ahs of prayer, then the istikhara du‘a. Here is how to pray it, the full du‘a in Arabic with its meaning, and the common myths about dreams.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
How to pray istikhara
- Make wudu.
- Pray two rak‘ahs of voluntary prayer, with the intention of istikhara. You may recite any surahs after Al-Fatihah.
- After the prayer (or before the salam, by some scholars’ view), say the istikhara du‘a below, naming your decision where indicated.
- Then go ahead with what seems best, consult people you trust, and accept what Allah makes easy.
Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said the Prophet ﷺ taught them istikhara in all matters as he taught them a surah of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari 1162).
The istikhara dua
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ؛ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأمْرَ - وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي – أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ – فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
“O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power and I have none; You know and I do not know; You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter (name it) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then decree it for me, make it easy for me and bless it for me. 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 what is good wherever it may be, and make me pleased with it.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimCommon misconceptions
- Waiting for a dream or a feeling: not required. Proceed, and watch how Allah makes things easy or difficult.
- Only for big decisions: the hadith says “in all matters”, large or small, as long as the matter itself is permissible.
- Replacing advice: istikhara goes with consulting people of knowledge and experience (shura), not instead of it.
For prayer basics, see how to pray salah; for other du‘as of the heart, the dua for anxiety, and all topics in our daily duas.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to see a dream after istikhara?
No. Nothing in the hadith mentions dreams. After istikhara you proceed with your decision; if it is good, Allah makes it easy, and if not, He turns it away. Many scholars warn against waiting for signs.
Can someone else pray istikhara for me?
The hadith describes a person praying it for their own matter. Asking others to pray for you in general is fine, but most scholars say istikhara itself is for the person making the decision.
Can I repeat istikhara?
Yes. Many scholars allow repeating it if you are still unsure.
Can I pray istikhara at any time?
Avoid the times when voluntary prayer is disliked (after Fajr until sunrise, at the sun’s zenith, and after ‘Asr until sunset). If you cannot pray, for example during menstruation, you can still say the du‘a on its own.
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