Salat al-Istikhara Dua: Full Arabic and Transliteration

Why the Istikhara Dua Remains One of the Most Requested Prayers

Every Muslim faces moments where two paths seem equally reasonable, and the heart genuinely does not know which to take. A job offer abroad versus stability at home. A marriage proposal from a person who seems right, but something lingers. A business decision that could go either way. These are exactly the situations Salat al-Istikhara was given for — not to remove uncertainty through a dream, but to place the decision entirely in the hands of Allah.

Knowing how to perform this prayer correctly — including the exact Arabic text of the dua and its transliteration — is what allows you to use it with full presence rather than nervousness about pronunciation.

What Is the Salat al-Istikhara Dua?

Salat al-Istikhara is a two-rakah voluntary prayer followed by a specific supplication asking Allah to guide a decision and decree what is best. The dua was taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdillah RA: "The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us al-istikhara for all matters just as he would teach us a surah from the Quran." The dua asks Allah to use His knowledge and power to ordain what is good and divert what is harmful — acknowledging that only Allah can see the full outcome of any choice.

The Complete Istikhara Dua: Arabic, Transliteration, and Translation

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Transliteration:

Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika al-'azim. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamu al-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li al-khayra haythu kana thumma ardini bih.

English Translation:

"O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek strength through Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. Surely You have power and I do not, and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair, then decree it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair, then divert it from me and divert me from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it may be, then make me content with it."

— Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdillah (Sahih al-Bukhari 1166)

When reciting: When you reach hadha al-amra ("this matter"), mention the specific matter you are deciding — either aloud or in your heart. This personalizes the supplication to your situation.

The Context Behind This Supplication

What makes this dua exceptional is not its length but its theological depth. When the Prophet ﷺ taught this supplication to his companions, he framed it as something to learn like a surah of the Quran — meaning it was to become a regular, memorized part of their spiritual toolkit, not a one-time resort.

The dua opens with three acknowledgments: you are seeking guidance through Allah's knowledge (because He knows what you do not), you are seeking power through His power (because He can do what you cannot), and you are asking from His great bounty (because the decision ultimately belongs to Him). This structure is not formulaic — it reflects a genuine shift in how you approach the decision, from relying on your own analysis to placing it in the hands of the One whose knowledge encompasses all outcomes.

The Quran affirms this reliance: وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ — "And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him" (Surah At-Talaq, 65:3).

How to Perform Salat al-Istikhara Step by Step

The prayer itself is simple to perform:

1. Make sincere intention (niyyah) for two voluntary rak'ahs of Salat al-Istikhara.
2. Ensure you are in a state of wudu — the prayer requires ritual purity.
3. Pray two rak'ahs as normal voluntary prayer. Many scholars recommend reciting Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second, though this is a recommendation, not a requirement.
4. After the final taslim, remain seated facing the qiblah.
5. Recite the istikhara dua from above, inserting your specific matter at hadha al-amr.
6. Proceed with your decision, watching for how Allah opens or closes doors.

The prayer can be performed at any valid prayer time — there are no special hours required, though it should not be performed during the three prohibited times (sunrise, midday, and sunset).

Allah commands you to seek knowledge

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When Should You Perform Salat al-Istikhara?

Not every decision requires istikhara, and understanding when to use it prevents the prayer from becoming routine or mechanical.

Islam also emphasizes pairing istikhara with shura (consultation). The Quran says: وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ — "And consult them in the matter" (Surah Ali 'Imran, 3:159). Seeking advice from people with relevant experience, while simultaneously making istikhara, is the complete Prophetic model for decision-making.

Making Istikhara Part of Your Spiritual Practice

The companions learned this supplication as a matter of course — it was not something they pulled out only for crises. Building familiarity with the dua before you urgently need it makes the prayer more sincere when the moment comes. When you know the Arabic and transliteration by heart, you can recite with your mind fully on the meaning rather than on the words themselves.

For related supplications that complement istikhara, see dua for guidance which covers duas for seeking clarity, and how to make dua properly for the etiquette and conditions that make supplication most effective.

Those looking to deepen their understanding of the istikhara prayer specifically can review dua for istikhara and how to perform istikhara for additional scholarly perspectives and frequently asked questions about the practice.

For guidance on the broader mindfulness that makes prayer meaningful, DemiManifest's mindful prayer resource offers practical reflection. For the post-prayer adhkar context around voluntary prayers, DeenBack's daily adhkar guide covers the practice of supplication after salah in depth. The complete hadith text can be verified at Sunnah.com, and scholarly guidance on istikhara etiquette is available at SeekersGuidance.

Related Duas for Decision-Making and Trust in Allah

Common Questions About the Istikhara Dua and Its Transliteration

Does it matter if my Arabic pronunciation is imperfect?

Imperfect pronunciation does not invalidate the supplication. The intention and sincerity of the heart matter most. That said, learning the correct pronunciation with a teacher or through careful listening improves the experience over time. The transliteration above is designed to help you get as close as possible to the correct sounds while you are still learning.

Can I read the dua from a paper or phone screen?

Yes. Reading from a written source during supplication is entirely permissible, especially while memorizing. Using your phone for the Arabic text or transliteration does not diminish the prayer. Once familiar, most people find they naturally begin to memorize the dua through repetition.

Is the istikhara dua the same in all madhabs?

The text of the dua is consistent across the major schools of Islamic law, as it comes from an authentic, agreed-upon hadith. Minor differences exist in rulings about the surah to recite during the rak'ahs and whether the dua must follow immediately after the prayer, but the dua text itself is uniform.

See also: istikhara dua in Arabic for the Arabic text with detailed breakdown, and salat al-istikhara how to pray for a comprehensive step-by-step guide with scholarly notes.

Allah commands you to seek knowledge

“My Lord, increase me in knowledge” (Surah Ta-Ha 20:114). DeenUp turns that command into a daily habit — a swipeable feed of bite-sized, scholar-approved Islamic lessons, quick quizzes, and daily streaks.

Download DeenUp on the App Store