How to pray istikhara, step by step

How to pray istikhara, step by step

• 6 steps
• 3 min
• With audio

Asking Allah to choose for you — two rak‘ahs, the istikhara supplication with its audio, and what to do next.

The steps

1. 1 For which decision?For a permissible matter you are unsure about — marriage, work, travel, a purchase…

   

   Istikhara is made for a permissible decision about which you are hesitating. It is not made for what is obligatory or forbidden. You may also seek the advice of trustworthy people.

   References al-Bukhari 1166

2. 2 Perform wuduAs for any prayer.

   

   Perform wudu as for any prayer.

3. 3 Pray two rak‘ahsTwo voluntary rak‘ahs, outside the forbidden times.

   

   Pray two voluntary rak‘ahs with the intention of istikhara, outside the times when prayer is disliked (at sunrise, sunset and the zenith). You may recite al-Kafirun and then al-Ikhlas in them.

   Takbir

   اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

   Allāhu akbarAllahu akbar

   Allah is the Greatest.

   Al-Kafirun, verses 1–6

   بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

   قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ ۝١ لَآ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ ۝٢ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ۝٣ وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ ۝٤ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ۝٥ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ ۝٦

   qul yāayyuhā l-kāfirūna · lā aʿbudu mā taʿbudūna · walā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbudu · walā anā ʿābidun mā ʿabadttum · walā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbudu · lakum dīnukum waliya dīniqul yaayyuha l-kafiruna · la a‘budu ma ta‘buduna · wala antum ‘abiduna ma a‘budu · wala ana ‘abidun ma ‘abadttum · wala antum ‘abiduna ma a‘budu · lakum dinukum waliya dini

   Say, "O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."

   Read and listen to Surah Al-Kafirun

   Al-Ikhlas, verses 1–4

   بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

   قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۝١ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ۝٢ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ۝٣ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ ۝٤

   qul huwa l-lahu aḥadun · al-lahu l-ṣamadu · lam yalid walam yūlad · walam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥadunqul huwa l-lahu ahadun · al-lahu l-samadu · lam yalid walam yulad · walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahadun

   Say, "He is Allāh, [who is] One, Allāh, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent."

   Read and listen to Surah Al-Ikhlas

   References al-Bukhari 1166

4. 4 Say the istikhara supplicationAfter the salam, raise your hands and say the transmitted supplication.

   

   After the two rak‘ahs, say the istikhara supplication. This is the view of the majority; it may also be said before the salam, after the tashahhud.

   قَالَ جَابرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: كَانَ رسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الْاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، يَقُولُ: إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ، ثُمَّ لْيَقُلْ: 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.وَمَا نَدِمَ مَنِ اسْتَخَارَ الْخَالِقَ، وَشَاوَرَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَتَثَبَّتَ فِي أَمْرِهِ، فَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّه تعالى: ﴿وَشاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾ .

   Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa asʾaluka min faḍlika l-ʿaẓīm. fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdir, wa taʿlamu wa lā aʿlam, wa anta ʿallāmu l-ghuyūb. Allāhumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hādha l-amra [then mention the thing to be decided] khayrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī [or say: ʿājilihi wa ājilihi], fa-qdurhu-lī, wa yassirhu-lī, thumma bārik-lī fīh. wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hādha l-amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī [or say: ʿājilihi wa ājilihi], faṣrifhu ʿannī, wa ṣrifnī ʿanh, wa qdur-liya l-khayra ḥaythu kān, thumma arḍinī bihAllahumma inni astakhiruka bi-‘ilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa as’aluka min fadlika l-‘azim. fa-innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta‘lamu wa la a‘lam, wa anta ‘allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadha l-amra [then mention the thing to be decided] khayrun li fi dini wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri [or say: ‘ajilihi wa ajilihi], fa-qdurhu-li, wa yassirhu-li, thumma barik-li fih. wa in kunta ta‘lamu anna hadha l-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma‘ashi wa ‘aqibati amri [or say: ‘ajilihi wa ajilihi], fasrifhu ‘anni, wa srifni ‘anh, wa qdur-liya l-khayra haythu kan, thumma ardini bih

   (On the authority of Jabir Ibn ʿAbdullah , he said: ’The Prophet would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. He would say ’ If any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rakʿah nafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:‘O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.)(One who seeks guidance from his Creator and consults his fellow believers and then remains firm in his resolve does not regret, for Allah has said:…and consult them in the affair. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah…)

   Supplication no. 74 of Hisn al-Muslim

   References al-Bukhari 1166, al-Bukhari 6382

5. 5 Name the matterIn place of “hadha l-amr” (this matter), think of your decision or name it.

   

   At the words “this matter” (hadha l-amr), name or think of the specific decision for which you are consulting Allah.

6. 6 What next?Go ahead with what becomes easy; no dream is needed.

   

   After istikhara, go ahead with what you had in mind: if Allah makes it easy, it is good; if He turns it away, that too is good. No dream or sign is needed. You may repeat istikhara if you are still unsure.

A learning guide based on the references cited. For a particular case, ask a person of knowledge. References al-Bukhari 1166, al-Bukhari 6382, al-Bukhari 7390, al-Tirmidhi 480, Abu Dawud 1538