#1117 It was
narrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said:
“The Messenger of
Allah
(ﷺ) used to teach us Istikharah, just as he used to teach us a
Surah of the Qur’an. He said: ‘If anyone of you is deliberating
about
a decision he has to make, then let him pray two Rak’ah of
non-
obligatory prayer, then say: Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi
‘ilmika wa
astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min
fadlikal-‘azim, fa innaka
taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa la
a’lam, wa Anta ‘allamul-ghuyub.
Allahumma in kunta ta’lamu
hadhal-amra (then the matter should be
mentioned by name) ma kan min
shay’in khairan li fi dini wa ma’ashi wa
‘aqibati amri, aw
khairanli fi ‘ajili amri wa ajilihi, faqdurhu li wa
yassirhu li wa
barik li fihi. Wa in kunta ta’lamu [O Allah, I seek
Your guidance
(in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I
seek ability
by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great
bounty. You have
power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are
the Knower of
hidden things. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this
matter (then it
should be mentioned by name) is good for me in my
religion, my
livelihood and my affairs, or both in this world and in
the Hereafter
then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it
for me. And
if in Your knowledge]. Then saying similar to what he said
the first
time, except: Wa in kana sharran li fasrifhu ‘anni wasrifni
‘anhu
waqdur li al-khair haithuma kana thumma raddini bihi (If it is
bad
for me then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and
ordain
for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with
it).’”