Istikhara Dua

When a person intends to do something, e.g. marry someone, buy some property or undertake a journey, etc. he should perform two rakaats of nafilsalah and thereafter, recite the following dua:

Allâhumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as’aluka min fadlikal-azimi, fa innaka taqdiru walâ aqdiru wa ta'lamu walâ a'lamu wa anta allamul ghuyâbi. Allâhumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma-ashi wa aqibati amri faqdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fihi wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal amra shari-un li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu waqdir liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardini bihi.

0 Allah, I ask of You the good through Your knowledge and I ask You to grant me ability through Your power and beg Your favour of infinite bounty, for surely, You have power and I have none, You know all and I know nothing and You are the Knower of all that is hidden. 0 Allah if in Your knowledge, this matter be good for my faith (Din), my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs in the world and the Hereafter, then ordain it for me and facilitate it from me and grant me blessing in it. But, f in Your knowledge this matter is bad for my faith, my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs in the world and the Hereafter, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it and ordain for me the good wherever it be, and cause me to be pleased with it.

When one reaches the words, which means ‘this matter’, one should think about the matter he is seeking blessings for. After that, one should lie down in a state of purity on a clean bed, with his face towards the Qiblah. Whatever comes firmly to his mind on waking is the best cause of action and should be adopted.

If nothing comes to one’s mind on the first day and the anxiety and indecisiveness continues, one should repeat it the next day and so on for a week. By the grace of Allah he will come to know the good or evil of the matter.

Note: It is not necessary that the person see a dream relating to his matter!