What is the correct wording for the Istikhara Dua?
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
The wording below is based upon the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ
O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best through Your knowledge, and bring it to pass through Your power, and I ask You of Your immense favour; for indeed You are able and I am not, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter to be better for me in my religion, livelihood and final outcome, then decree it for me. And if You know this matter to be harmful for me in my religion, livelihood and final outcome, then keep it from me, and keep me from it and bring about the good for me wherever it may be, and make me pleased with it. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6382)
When saying ‘this matter’ هَذَا الأَمْرَ, one can either say or bring to mind the particular issue they are making Istikhara for.
There are a number of other authentic narrations in the Sahih al-Bukhari for the Dua of Istikhara with a slight variation in the wording, I have selected this one because the Arabic is easiest.
And Allah (Most High) Knows best.
– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen (30.01.2021)
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