As a Muslim, it is recommended to know how to perform Dua Istikhara, because we’ll always need it in every matter of our lives. Whether we need to make decision on a job, marriage, or even the smaller choices we face daily, we need this Dua (prayer) to seek Allah for a pathway.
Hadith on how to perform Dua Istikhara: Prayer of seeking guidance (English)
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would teach us (how to perform Salat Al Istikhara) to pray for guidance in all matters just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. The Prophet said:
When one of you has a decision, he should perform two cycles of prayer other than the obligations, then let him say:
O Allah, I seek guidance from your knowledge and power from your might, and I ask you for your tremendous favor. Verily, you have power, and I do not have power, and you know, and I do not know. You are the knowing of the unseen.
O Allah, if you know that this matter is good for my religion and my livelihood and my ending (or he said: if it is better for my present and later needs), then decree it for me and make it easy for me and bless me in it.
But if you know that this matter is evil for my religion and my livelihood and my ending (or he said: if it is worse for my present and latter needs), then divert it from me and keep me away from it, and decree for me what is good for me and make me content with it.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 1113
Hadith on how to perform Dua Istikhara: Prayer of seeking guidance (Arabic)
إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ :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 أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي
You can read the full guide on how to seek guidance from Allah.
