Dua E Istikhara – How to Perform Salatul istikhara

Dua e Istikhara is the supplication the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught for seeking Allah’s guidance before a decision, such as marriage, a job, a journey or a business. It is recited after two rakats of voluntary prayer, called Salatul Istikhara. On this page you can read the dua e istikhara in Arabic, Roman English, Hindi and Urdu with translation, and learn the method of istikhara step by step.

Dua e Istikhara in Arabic

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 لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Sahih al-Bukhari: 1166

Where the dua says هَذَا الْأَمْرَ (this matter), name your need, for example “this marriage” or “this job”.

Dua e Istikhara in Roman English

Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi ‘ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as’aluka min fadlikal-‘azim, fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta’lamu wa la a’lamu, wa anta ‘allamul-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta’lamu anna hazal-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma’ashi wa ‘aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hazal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma’ashi wa ‘aqibati amri, fasrifhu ‘anni wasrifni ‘anhu, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kana thumma ardini bih.

Dua e Istikhara Translation in English

O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power and I have none, You know and I do not know, 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 outcome of my affairs, 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 livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.

Dua e Istikhara in Hindi – इस्तिख़ारा की दुआ हिंदी में

अल्लाहुम्मा इन्नी अस्तख़ीरुका बि इल्मिका, व अस्तक़्दिरुका बि क़ुदरतिका, व अस्अलुका मिन फ़ज़्लिकल अज़ीम, फ़ इन्नका तक़्दिरु वला अक़्दिरु, व तअ्लमु वला अअ्लमु, व अन्ता अल्लामुल ग़ुयूब। अल्लाहुम्मा इन कुन्ता तअ्लमु अन्ना हाज़ल अम्रा ख़ैरुन ली फ़ी दीनी व मआशी व आक़िबति अमरी, फ़क़्दुरहु ली व यस्सिरहु ली सुम्मा बारिक ली फ़ीह। व इन कुन्ता तअ्लमु अन्ना हाज़ल अम्रा शर्रुन ली फ़ी दीनी व मआशी व आक़िबति अमरी, फ़स्रिफ़हु अन्नी वस्रिफ़नी अन्हु, वक़्दुर लियल ख़ैरा हैसु काना सुम्मा अर्ज़िनी बिह।

इस्तिख़ारा की दुआ का हिंदी तर्जुमा

ऐ अल्लाह, मैं तेरे इल्म के ज़रिए तुझसे भलाई तलब करता हूँ, तेरी क़ुदरत के ज़रिए तुझसे ताक़त माँगता हूँ, और तेरे अज़ीम फ़ज़्ल में से माँगता हूँ। तू क़ादिर है और मैं नहीं, तू जानता है और मैं नहीं जानता, और तू ग़ैब का जानने वाला है। ऐ अल्लाह, अगर तू जानता है कि यह काम मेरे दीन, मेरी रोज़ी और मेरे अंजाम के लिए बेहतर है, तो इसे मेरे लिए मुक़द्दर कर दे, आसान कर दे और इसमें बरकत दे। और अगर तू जानता है कि यह काम मेरे दीन, मेरी रोज़ी और मेरे अंजाम के लिए बुरा है, तो इसे मुझसे हटा दे और मुझे इससे हटा दे, और मेरे लिए भलाई मुक़द्दर कर दे जहाँ भी हो, फिर मुझे उस पर राज़ी कर दे।

Dua e Istikhara in Urdu – استخارہ کی دعا

اے اللہ! میں تیرے علم کے ذریعے تجھ سے بھلائی طلب کرتا ہوں، تیری قدرت کے ذریعے تجھ سے طاقت مانگتا ہوں، اور تیرے عظیم فضل میں سے مانگتا ہوں۔ تو قادر ہے اور میں نہیں، تو جانتا ہے اور میں نہیں جانتا، اور تو غیب کا جاننے والا ہے۔ اے اللہ! اگر تو جانتا ہے کہ یہ کام میرے دین، میری روزی اور میرے انجام کے لیے بہتر ہے تو اسے میرے لیے مقدر کر دے، آسان کر دے اور اس میں برکت دے۔ اور اگر تو جانتا ہے کہ یہ کام میرے دین، میری روزی اور میرے انجام کے لیے برا ہے تو اسے مجھ سے ہٹا دے اور مجھے اس سے ہٹا دے، اور میرے لیے بھلائی مقدر کر دے جہاں بھی ہو، پھر مجھے اس پر راضی کر دے۔

Dua e Istikhara Image

Istikhara Ka Tarika (How to Perform Salatul Istikhara)

Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet ﷺ used to teach them istikhara for all matters just as he taught them a surah of the Quran. He said: when one of you is concerned about a matter, let him pray two rakats other than the obligatory prayer, and then say this dua. (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1166)

1. Make wudu and decide clearly which matter you are asking about.
2. Pray two rakats of nafl prayer with the intention of istikhara. Any surahs may be recited after Al-Fatihah; many scholars recommend Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rakat and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second.
3. After the salam, recite the dua e istikhara. When you reach “this matter”, mention your need.
4. Then act on what seems best, with trust in Allah. If the matter goes ahead easily, take that as good; if it keeps falling through, take that as Allah turning it away.

When to Perform Istikhara

Istikhara can be performed at any time of day or night, except the times when nafl prayer is disliked (after Fajr until sunrise, at the sun’s zenith, and after Asr until sunset). There is no fixed day. It is best to do it before you make a decision, not after.

Istikhara Without Prayer

If you cannot pray, for example during menstruation or while travelling, scholars allow reciting the dua alone without the two rakats. The prayer is the complete Sunnah; the dua alone is the minimum.

Signs of Istikhara (Istikhara Ka Jawab)

The answer to istikhara is not a dream. Nothing in the hadith says you must see a colour or a dream, and scholars have cautioned against waiting for one. The answer comes in the way the matter unfolds: Allah either makes it easy and puts your heart at rest, or turns it away and turns you away from it. If you feel no inclination either way, you may repeat the istikhara; Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have advised repeating it up to seven times.

What Istikhara Is Not

• It is not a way to see the future.
• It is not done for matters that are already clearly obligatory or clearly forbidden. You do not ask whether to pray Fajr.
• It is not done by someone else on your behalf as a religious requirement. Istikhara is your own prayer. Paying someone to “do istikhara” for you has no basis in the Sunnah.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do istikhara for marriage?

Yes. Marriage is one of the most common reasons for istikhara. Do it after you have gathered information about the proposal, and also take advice from trusted family and knowledgeable people.

Do I have to sleep after istikhara?

No. There is no hadith that requires sleeping after istikhara or waiting for a dream. Many people do it before sleep only because it is a quiet time.

How many times should I do istikhara?

Once is enough if you feel settled. If not, repeat it; up to seven times is reported from the companions.

Can istikhara be done in Hindi or English?

The Arabic dua is the Sunnah. If you cannot read Arabic, learn it from the Roman or Hindi text above, and add your request in your own language after it.

Can I do istikhara during the day?

Yes, at any time except the three disliked times for nafl prayer mentioned above.

Read More

• Dua e Hajat
• Qarz Ki Dua
• Safar Ki Dua
• Ayatul Kursi in Hindi