Istikhara Dua (Guidance in a Decision)
“O Allah, I ask You to guide me to what is best by Your knowledge, I ask You for ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty.” The Arabic, how to say it, when to read it, and its source.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ
- Transliteration
- Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa as’aluka min faḍlikal-ʿaẓīm
- Meaning
- O Allah, I ask You to guide me to what is best by Your knowledge, I ask You for ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty.
- Source
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1166
When to say it
- Before a decision: a job, a marriage proposal, a move, a purchase
- After praying two voluntary rak’ahs
- For anything permissible, big or small
About this dua
Jabir reported that the Prophet ﷺ taught them istikhara for all their affairs, just as he taught them a surah of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari 1166). Pray two rak’ahs that are not obligatory, then say the full dua:
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 الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa as’aluka min faḍlikal-ʿaẓīm, fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdir, wa taʿlamu wa lā aʿlam, wa anta ʿallāmul-ghuyūb. Allāhumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhal-amra khayrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī, faqdurhu lī wa yassirhu lī thumma bārik lī fīh. Wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhal-amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī, faṣrifhu ʿannī waṣrifnī ʿanhu, waqdur liyal-khayra ḥaythu kān, thumma arḍinī bih.
“O Allah, I ask You to guide me by Your knowledge, and I ask You for ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. You are able and I am not; You know and I do not; You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my life and my end, then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my life and my end, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it is, and make me pleased with it.”
Where it says hādhal-amr (“this matter”), name your need, as the Prophet ﷺ instructed. There is no need to wait for a dream: do what seems best, and trust that Allah will make the good easy. See tawakkul.
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
More duas
Frequently asked questions
What is the istikhara dua (guidance in a decision)?
Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa as’aluka min faḍlikal-ʿaẓīm: “O Allah, I ask You to guide me to what is best by Your knowledge, I ask You for ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1166).
Is this dua authentic?
Yes. It is from Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, an authentic hadith collection. The source is linked on this page so you can check it.