How to Pray Istikhara: Steps, Dua and Meaning

What Does Istikhara Mean?

Istikhara means asking Allah to choose the best outcome for you. It is not a way to predict the future or see a sign in a dream, it is a prayer that puts a decision in Allah's hands and asks Him to steer you toward whatever is genuinely good for you, even if that is not what you originally wanted.

How to Pray Istikhara, Step by Step

• Have valid wudu, since Istikhara is a Salah like any other.
• Keep the decision clearly in mind, you do not need to say it out loud.
• Pray two rakahs of voluntary (nafl) prayer, any surahs can be recited.
• After finishing the prayer with salam, recite the Istikhara dua.
• Proceed with the decision as you normally would, trusting that Allah will guide the outcome.

The Istikhara Dua: Arabic, Transliteration and English

This prayer is formally called Salat al Istikhara, or Salatul Istikhara, and the dua that follows it is given below in Arabic, in transliteration, and in English. Wording of the English translation differs slightly between sources, so it is worth also reading it from a reliable hadith source or app to confirm the Arabic pronunciation.

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 لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ.

Transliteration: Allahumma inni astakheeruka bi ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika al azeem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta allamu al ghuyoob. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al amra (then mention the matter) khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feehi. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha al amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'ashi wa aqibati amri, fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu, waqdur liyal khayra haythu kana, thumma ardini bihi.

English: 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, I have none, and You know, I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if in Your knowledge 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 it for 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 the good wherever it is, then make me content with it.

Say the phrase in brackets, this matter, while picturing the specific decision in your mind, or naming it silently, at the point where it appears in the dua.

What to Expect After Praying Istikhara

You should not expect a dream, a sign, or a sudden feeling as proof of the answer. This is a common misunderstanding. The actual guidance shows up in how the situation unfolds, doors open or close, circumstances become easy or difficult, not in a mystical experience during or after the prayer.

The correct approach is to pray Istikhara, then move ahead with the decision using your own judgement and, where possible, consulting people you trust, while remaining content with whatever Allah decrees.

Common Mistakes When Praying Istikhara

The most common mistake is waiting for a dream or a clear sign before making any decision, which can delay important choices indefinitely. Another common mistake is praying Istikhara without also consulting knowledgeable or experienced people (istisharah), which the Prophet's own companions did alongside Istikhara, not instead of it.

Istikhara for Marriage, Business and Other Decisions

Istikhara is most often asked about for marriage proposals, but it applies equally to any permissible decision, including changing jobs, starting a business, moving house, or choosing between two schools for your children. It should not be prayed for something already obligatory, like praying five times a day, or for something clearly forbidden, since those matters are already decided.

Learning Istikhara and Other Duas With a Teacher

Getting the Arabic pronunciation and the meaning of the Istikhara dua right, along with the other daily duas, is much easier with a teacher listening and correcting you, rather than learning from text alone.

Hidayah Quran's Islamic Duas and Prayers course covers Istikhara alongside Salatul Hajat, the daily Salah duas, and the adhkaar for morning and evening, taught one to one by a qualified female teacher.