Salah of istikhaarah

Salah of Istikhaarah is a practice based on the Sunnah to ask Allah for guidance when one is about to make an important decision, or when he encounters a difficult choice, and he does not know which option is better for him.

Also, this would safeguard man from the whispering of Satan, and of that which he misses and he thinks to be good. Man does what he can in order to obtain certain things, and Allah would grant him what he seeks or not, and in any case whatever Allah wills and ordains is in the best interest of man. The one who seeks the guidance of Allah through Istikhaarah would certainly not be in a state of loss, and the one who seeks advice would not regret it.

Procedure of Salatul-Istikhaarah

A person should perform a two unit prayer (other than the obligatory prayers). In the first Rakah a person after reciting al-Fatihah, he may recite Qul yaa a’you-hal kaa-fe’roon’ (Surah 109) and in the second after reciting al-Fatihah, he may recite Qul who’wal’laa who-ahad’ (but this is not required and the Muslim can pray with any other part of the Quran they wish).

Before saying the Du’aa of Istikhaarah, one should praise Allah and glorify Him and then ask Allah to exalt the mention of the Prophet (s) thereafter, he should supplicate Allah saying:
Al’laahum’ma in’nee as’ta-khee’ro’ka be’il-mee’ka wa ustaq’de’roka be’qod-ra’te’ka wa as’a-loo’ka min fad’lika al-Adtheem fin’naka tuq-de’roo wa laa aq’de-ro wa ta’lam wa laa a’lam wa anta al’laamol gho’youb. Al’laahum’ma in kon’ta ta’lam an’naa haadthal um’roo khairun lee fee deenee wa ma’aa’shee wa aa-qe’ba’tee amree [‘ajilih amri wa aa’je’le-hee] faqdirwho lee wa yas’sir’who lee thum’ma baarik lee fee’hee. Wa in konta ta’lam an’na haadthal amro shar’run lee fee deenee wa ma’aa’shee wa aa-qe’bat tee amree [‘ajilih amri wa aa-je’li-hee] fasrif-who an’nee was-rifnee anwho waqdir lee al-khair haitho kaan thum’maa ar’de’nee bee’hee.



Meaning: O Allah, I consult You through Your Knowledge, and I seek strength through Your Power, and ask of Your Great Bounty; for You are Capable whereas I am not and, You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah, if You know that this matter (here one should name it) is good for me in respect of my Deen, my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs, (or he said), the sooner or the later of my affairs then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. But if You know this matter (one should again name it) to be bad for my Deen, my livelihood or the consequences of my affairs, (or he said) the sooner or the later of my affairs then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and decree for me good wherever it may be, and cause me to be contented with it.

Jaabir said:‘The Prophet (s) would teach us Istikhaarah as he would teach us a chapter of the Qur’an.’
(Bukhari)