The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the istikhara the way he would teach us a surah from the Quran. That is how important this dua is. It is not just a dua, it is the way a Muslim makes every major and even minor decision in life, marriage, career, moving to a new city, anything where you need Allah's guidance.
This page covers the full istikhara dua in Arabic, English translation, Urdu translation, Roman English transliteration, a step by step guide on how to pray it, and a specific section on istikhara for marriage.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه)
When you reach the words هَذَا الأَمْرَ (this matter) mention your specific need by name, for example marrying a specific person or accepting a specific job.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance 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 and I have none, and You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of hidden things.
O Allah, if in Your knowledge this matter — [mention your need] — 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 in Your knowledge 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.
اے اللہ، میں تیرے علم کے واسطے سے تجھ سے بھلائی چاہتا ہوں اور تیری قدرت کے واسطے سے تجھ سے طاقت مانگتا ہوں اور تیرے عظیم فضل سے سوال کرتا ہوں۔ بے شک تو قدرت رکھتا ہے اور میں قدرت نہیں رکھتا، تو جانتا ہے اور میں نہیں جانتا، اور تو غیبوں کا جاننے والا ہے۔
اے اللہ، اگر تیرے علم میں یہ معاملہ — [اپنی حاجت کا نام لیں] — میرے لیے میرے دین، میری زندگی اور میرے انجام کے لحاظ سے بہتر ہے تو اسے میرے لیے مقدر کر دے اور اسے میرے لیے آسان کر دے اور پھر اس میں میرے لیے برکت دے دے۔
اور اگر تیرے علم میں یہ معاملہ میرے لیے میرے دین، میری زندگی اور میرے انجام کے لحاظ سے برا ہے تو اسے مجھ سے پھیر دے اور مجھے اس سے پھیر دے اور میرے لیے بھلائی مقدر کر دے جہاں بھی ہو اور پھر مجھے اس پر راضی کر دے۔
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika al-azim. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lam, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyub.
Allahumma in kunta ta'lam anna hadhal-amr — [mention your need] — khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, faqdurhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li fih.
Wa in kunta ta'lam anna hadhal-amr sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur li al-khayr haythu kan, thumma ardini bih.
Important: you make your decision first, then pray istikhara. This is what many people get wrong. Istikhara is not for when you are confused between two choices. You first do your research, consult people you trust, make your decision, and THEN pray istikhara asking Allah to either make it happen if it is good for you or remove it from your life if it is bad for you.
For example if you are considering marriage, you do not pray istikhara while choosing between two people. You narrow it down to one person through your own judgment, family consultation, and research. Then you pray istikhara specifically for that one person.
These must be two voluntary (nafl) rakahs, not your fardh (obligatory) prayer. You can also combine the intention with an existing sunnah prayer like the two sunnah before Fajr or two sunnah after Dhuhr. There is no specific surah you need to recite during these rakahs, any surah is fine.
After you complete the two rakahs and say the salaam, raise your hands and recite the full istikhara dua above. When you reach the words "hadhal-amr" (this matter) mention your specific need by name. For example: "O Allah, if in Your knowledge marrying [name] is good for me..." or "O Allah, if in Your knowledge accepting this job at [company] is good for me..."
After praying istikhara, proceed with your decision. Do not wait for a dream or a special sign. The most common way Allah answers istikhara is through events: either the path opens up and becomes easy (which means it is good for you) or obstacles appear and things become difficult (which means Allah is turning it away from you). Some people may feel a sense of peace or unease about the decision but this is not required.
You can pray istikhara multiple times for the same matter. There is no limit.
You can pray istikhara at any time except the three prohibited times for voluntary prayer: during sunrise, when the sun is at its peak (zenith), and during sunset. The best time is during the last third of the night when Allah descends to the lowest heaven.
Marriage is one of the most important decisions in a Muslim's life and it is one of the primary reasons people pray istikhara. Here is how it specifically applies to nikah.
Pray istikhara once you have identified a specific person you are seriously considering for marriage. You have already spoken to your family, you have already done your research on the person, and you are now at the point of making a decision. That is when istikhara comes in.
When you reach "hadhal-amr" (this matter), you mention the person by name. For example: "Allahumma in kunta ta'lam anna zawaji min [name] khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri..." meaning "O Allah, if in Your knowledge my marrying [name] is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs..."
Proceed with the marriage process. If Allah wants this marriage for you, things will become easy and fall into place. If Allah is protecting you from this marriage, you will notice obstacles, doors closing, or a growing sense that this is not right. Either way, the last part of the dua is the most important: "and make me content with it." You are asking Allah not just to choose for you but to make you satisfied with whatever He chooses.
Yes and it is recommended. Both the man and the woman should pray istikhara independently about the marriage. The wali (guardian) can also pray istikhara on behalf of his daughter or sister.
After. Istikhara is for when you have already gathered information and are ready to make a decision. Meeting the person, learning about their character, their deen, their family — that is all part of the research you do BEFORE praying istikhara.
Source for all content on this page: Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, verified at sunnah.com/bukhari:1166