How to perform the prayer of guidance (Salat al-Istikhara)?

What is Salat al-Istikhara?

The prayer of consultation is a Sunnah taught by the Prophet ﷺ. It consists of performing two supererogatory rak'ahs, then reciting a specific supplication asking Allah to choose what is best for you in this world and the hereafter.

Why practice it?

• Place your trust in Allah: Only He possesses all knowledge and is best placed to help you in your choice.

• Alleviate anxiety: you entrust the outcome to His hands, and Allah only wills what is good for you.

• Strengthen your faith: you revive an authentic prophetic practice.

When to perform the prayer of consultation?

Salat al-Istikhara is performed before any decision: studies, internship, moving, marriage, buying a car, or any other project — because, in truth, only Allah knows what is truly good for us.

You can perform it at any time of the day or evening, provided you avoid the discouraged slots for supererogatory prayers: between Fajr and sunrise, then between Asr and sunset.

Outside these periods, repeat the Istikhara as many times as your heart feels the need, until it finds peace.

How to perform the prayer of consultation? Step by step

• Perform your ablutions (wudūʾ) and turn towards the qibla.

• Pray 2 rak'ahs similar to those of Fajr.

• After Taslīm, raise your hands and recite the Istikhara dua in Arabic.

• Trust: if it is good, Allah will open the way; otherwise, He will close it.

In Arabic:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَ أَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَ أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَ لاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَ تَعْلَمُ وَ لاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَ أَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ – ثُمَّ يُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ – خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَ مَعَاشِي وَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَ آجِلِهِ ، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَ يَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي. فِيهِ، وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَ مَعَاشِي وَ عَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَ اصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَ اقْدُرْ لِيَ الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

In Phonetics:

Allāhumma innī astakhīruka biʿilmika wa astaqdīruka biqudratika wa asʾaluka min faḍlika l-ʿaẓīm, fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdiru, wataʿlamu wa lā aʿlamu, wa anta ʿallāmu l-ghuyūb.

Allāhumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhā l-amr (…) khayrun lī fī dīni wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī, faqdurhu lī wa yassirhu lī, thumma bārik lī fīhi.

Wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhā l-amr (…) sharrun lī fī dīni wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī, fa-ṣrifhu ʿannī wa-ṣrifnī ʿanhu waqdur lī al-khayra ḥaythu kāna thumma arḍinī bihi.

Translation:

O Allah, I seek Your counsel through Your knowledge, and I seek Your power through Your ability, and I ask You from Your immense grace. For You are capable and I am not, and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen.

O Allah, if You know that this matter (state the matter precisely) is good for me in my religion, my present life, and the outcome of my affair, then decree it for me, facilitate it for me, and bless it for me.

And if You know that this matter (state the matter precisely) is bad for me in my religion, my present life, and the outcome of my affair, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and then make me content with it.

Practical tip: to keep the Istikhara dua in front of your eyes when you pray, order your set of Dua stickers.