Istikhara Prayer: How to Pray It, the Dua and What to Expect

Istikhara is a short prayer Muslims use to ask God to guide a decision. You pray two voluntary rakat, then recite a specific dua the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught, asking God to make the choice easy if it is good for you and to turn it away if it is not. It needs no dream, no sheikh and no special night.

The word comes from the Arabic khayr, "good," and means "seeking the good." It sits at the meeting point of two Islamic ideas: that people should plan, think and consult, and that only God knows how things will turn out. This guide explains the hadith behind istikhara, how to pray it step by step, the full dua in Arabic, transliteration and English, and the common myths about dreams and signs.

Key takeaways

• The istikhara prayer and dua are taught in a hadith of Jabir ibn Abdullah recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, with other versions at Sahih al-Bukhari 6382 and 7390.
• The Prophet taught istikhara "in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an," according to Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, so it is not limited to marriage or major life events.
• The method is two rakat of voluntary prayer followed by the istikhara dua, naming the matter where the dua says "this matter," according to Sahih al-Bukhari 1166.
• No authentic hadith says the answer comes in a dream. Scholars such as al-Nawawi said a person should go ahead with what their heart inclines to after istikhara.
• The Quran reminds believers that "perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you" (Quran 2:216), which is the attitude istikhara builds.

What is istikhara?

Istikhara (istikhara, استخارة) means asking God to choose the better of two options for you. A Muslim prays it when facing a decision about something permissible: whether to accept a job, move city, buy a house, start a business or marry a particular person. You do not pray istikhara about whether to do an obligation, such as the five daily prayers, or to commit something forbidden. Those are already decided.

Istikhara is an act of humility. The dua openly admits three things: God knows and I do not, God has power and I do not, and God sees the outcome that is hidden from me. It is closely tied to tawakkul, trust in God after doing your part, explained in our article on tawakkul.

The istikhara hadith

The companion Jabir ibn Abdullah described how the Prophet taught it:

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara ... in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer) ..."

— Sahih al-Bukhari 1166

The comparison with teaching surahs of the Quran shows how much weight the Prophet gave it. He taught the words carefully, so that companions would know them by heart. Al-Bukhari records the same hadith three times, in the chapters on night prayer (1166), supplication (6382) and divine oneness (7390), with small differences in wording. The number 1162 that some websites give points to a different hadith in the sunnah.com numbering.

How to pray salat al-istikhara step by step

1. Think it through first. Gather information, weigh the options, and ask people you trust. The Quran tells the Prophet to "consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah" (3:159).
2. Make wudu. Perform ablution as described in how to perform wudu.
3. Pray two rakat of voluntary prayer with the intention of istikhara. Recite al-Fatihah and any surah you know in each rakah. The movements are the same as any two-rakat prayer, explained in how to pray salah.
4. After the closing salam, recite the istikhara dua. Praise God and send blessings on the Prophet first if you wish, as is the general etiquette of dua.
5. Name your matter. Where the dua says "this matter" (hadhal-amr), say or think of the specific decision, for example "this job offer" or "marrying this person."
6. Go ahead with your plans and watch how things unfold, trusting that God will make the good easy and turn you away from what is harmful.

The prayer can be any two voluntary rakat. Many scholars say that if you pray a regular sunnah prayer, such as the two rakat before Fajr, with the intention of istikhara, the dua can follow it. Avoid the times when voluntary prayer is disliked, such as while the sun is rising or setting. The night, especially the last third, is a good time for any dua, as covered in our guide to tahajjud.

The istikhara dua in Arabic, transliteration and English

This is the text as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي، فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Transliteration: 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 anna hadhal-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 hadhal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anh, waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kana thumma ardini bih.

Translation: "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."

In one part of the dua, the narrator was unsure whether the Prophet said "in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs" or "in my present and later affairs" ('ajili amri wa ajilih). Some people say both phrases to cover each possibility.

Can you say the istikhara dua in English?

Yes. The dua can be said in any language, and it is better to say it in words you understand than to recite Arabic you cannot follow. Many people read the Arabic slowly from a card or phone while learning it. If you cannot pray at that time, for example during menstruation, many scholars say you may still recite the dua on its own.

What to expect after istikhara

This is where most confusion lies. The hadith asks God to make the good thing easy and to turn the harmful thing away. It does not promise a vision, a voice or a feeling of certainty. Scholars have described the outcome in two main ways:

• The heart inclines. Al-Nawawi, in his book al-Adhkar, said that after istikhara a person should go ahead with whatever their heart is drawn to. Many contemporary scholars follow this view.
• Events unfold. Others, such as Ibn al-Zamlakani as quoted by al-Subki, held that you should simply proceed with your plan whether or not you feel any inclination. If it is good, God will ease it; if not, obstacles will appear and you will be turned away from it.

Both views agree on the core point: you act, and God steers. A door that keeps closing, or one that opens with surprising ease, is part of the answer. So is your peace afterward, since the last line of the dua asks God to "make me content with it."

Myths about istikhara

Dreams do have a place in Islamic teaching, and our article on dreams in Islam explains the types the Prophet described. But tying a life decision to a single dream, or to someone else's dream on your behalf, goes beyond what the istikhara hadith teaches.

Istikhara for marriage

Marriage is the most common reason people search for istikhara, and the steps are the same. Before praying, do the practical work: learn about the person's character and faith, involve family, and ask people who know them well. Then pray istikhara and continue the process.

If the conversations go well, families agree and you feel settled, that is a positive sign. If serious obstacles keep appearing, or new information comes to light that worries you, take that seriously. Avoid two extremes: ignoring real red flags because you "felt good" after istikhara, and breaking off a sound match because of a vague dream.

Istikhara for jobs and other decisions

For a job offer, a move or a business decision, pray istikhara once you have a real choice in front of you. Name the specific option in the dua. Then keep taking the normal steps: negotiate, ask questions, compare. If the path stays open, proceed with confidence. If it closes, the dua has already asked God to "decree for me what is good wherever it may be."

This reflects a principle stated in the Quran:

Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.

— Quran 2:216

The verse was revealed about a specific hardship, but scholars draw a general lesson from its second half: human judgment about good and bad is limited. Istikhara puts that lesson into practice. It hands the final choice to the One described by the names al-'Alim, the All-Knowing, and al-Hakim, the Perfectly Wise.

Read the verses on decision-making on Quran Universe

You can read Quran 2:216 and Quran 3:159 on Quran Universe with the Arabic text, word-by-word meaning and Tafsir Ibn Kathir. For other supplications the Prophet taught for daily life, see our guide to daily duas.

Frequently asked questions

How do you pray istikhara?

Make wudu, then pray two rakat of voluntary prayer with the intention of istikhara. After the closing salam, recite the istikhara dua recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166, naming your decision where the dua says "this matter." Then carry on with your plans, trusting that God will make the good easy and turn you away from harm.

What is the dua for istikhara in English?

"O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and ability through Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. If this matter is good for me in my religion, livelihood and outcome, decree it and make it easy for me and bless me in it. If it is bad for me, turn it away from me and turn me from it, and decree for me the good wherever it is, and make me content with it."

What are the signs after istikhara?

There is no guaranteed sign. Many scholars, including al-Nawawi, said you should follow what your heart inclines to after praying. Others said to proceed with your plan and watch events: if the matter becomes easy, that is a good sign, and if obstacles keep blocking it, God may be turning you away. A dream is not required.

Do you have to see a dream after istikhara?

No. No authentic hadith says that the answer to istikhara comes in a dream, and the Prophet's instructions in Sahih al-Bukhari 1166 say nothing about sleeping afterward. A dream may happen, but scholars caution against basing a decision only on it. The answer usually shows in how the matter unfolds and in your peace about it.

Can someone else pray istikhara for me?

The hadith speaks to "anyone of you" who is considering a matter, so istikhara is meant to be prayed by the person making the decision. A parent, friend or scholar can make general dua for you, and you should consult people you trust, but there is no need to pay or ask anyone to perform istikhara on your behalf.

How many times should you pray istikhara?

Once is enough. No authentic hadith sets a required number of repetitions. A narration about praying it seven times is widely regarded as weak, though some Hanafi scholars, such as Ibn Abidin, mention seven as a customary guideline. Many scholars allow repeating istikhara if you remain unsure, as long as you are also taking practical steps and consulting others rather than waiting for a sign.