حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ السُّلَمِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَوَالِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُنْکَدِرِ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ کَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَلِّمُنَا الِاسْتِخَارَةَ کَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُکُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْکَعْ رَکْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُکَ بِعِلْمِکَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُکَ بِقُدْرَتِکَ وَأَسْأَلُکَ مِنْ فَضْلِکَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّکَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ کُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ فَيُسَمِّيهِ مَا کَانَ مِنْ شَيْئٍ خَيْرًا لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ خَيْرًا لِي فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي وَبَارِکْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ کُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ يَقُولُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ فِي الْمَرَّةِ الْأُولَی وَإِنْ کَانَ شَرًّا لِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُمَا کَانَ ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ
ابن ماجہ · Hadith 1383
It was narrated that Jabir bin' Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah used to teach us Istikharah, just as he used to teach us a Surah of the Qur’an. He said: 'If anyone of you is deliberating about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two Rak'ah of non-obligatory prayer, then say: (then the matter should be mentioned by name) [OAllah, 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. O 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. Then saying similar to what he said the first time, except: (If it is bad for me 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).'''(sahih)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020