أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الْمَوَالِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْکَدِرِ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ کَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الْأُمُورِ کُلِّهَا کَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُکُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْکَعْ رَکْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُکَ بِعِلْمِکَ وَأَسْتَعِينُکَ بِقُدْرَتِکَ وَأَسْأَلُکَ مِنْ فَضْلِکَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّکَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ کُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدِرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِکْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ کُنْتَ 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 کَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ قَالَ وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ
سنن نسائی · Hadith 3261
It was narrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said: “The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم used to teach his Companions to perform Istikharah in all matters, just as he used to teach them Surahs from the Qur’an. He said: ‘If any one of you is deliberating about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two Rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: Allahumma innI astakhiruka hi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi(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. 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 it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), 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).”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020