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PERFORMING THE SALAT-AL-ISTIKHARA

Method 1: Performing ASKING FOR GUIDANCE
the Salat-al-Istikhara HA
ISLAM » MUSLIM PRAYER

How to Do Istikhara
Co-authored by wikiHow Staff
Last Updated: December 12, 2019 References Approved

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Salat-al-Istikhara is a prayer of guidance recited

during times of indecision. To perform Istikhara, you
should first be cleansed, so perform Wudu if
necessary. Open your prayer, recite two rak’ah, then
offer your Istikhara supplication. Rather than wait for a
miraculous, symbolic vision, you should reflect within
to find answers and seek advice from those you find
wise and knowledgeable. When praying, show
sincerity, avoid begging or pleading, and be ready to
follow through on the answers you receive.

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Recite the Istikhara supplication.
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Perform Ablution or Wudu. Before starting

1 prayer, you should perform Wudu to ensure
you’re clean. Center your thoughts, then wash and
rinse these areas three times: your hands, mouth,
face, nose, and lower forearms. Wash your head
and ears once, then wash your feet three times
(starting with the right foot).[1]

You can then point your right index finger to

the sky and recite a prayer of witness: "Ash-
hadu al laa ilaaha illALLAHu wahdahuu laa
shariikalahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan
'abduhuu wa rasuuluh."
The English translation is, "I bear witness that
there is no deity other than Allah alone; He is
One; He has no partner and I bear witness that
Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is His
(chosen) servant and (true) Messenger."
In some cases, you may need to perform
Ghusl instead, such as when semen is
emitted, or after intercourse.

Prepare your space for prayer. Make sure

2 your space is clean enough to be suitable for
prayer. Place a mat onto the floor to ensure
cleanliness. Position the mat so it (and you) face
the Qibla, or Mecca.

Open your prayers. Start by centering

3 yourself on your intention. Raise your hands to
your ears while standing and say, “Allah Akbar,”
which translates to “Allah is the Greatest,” to open
your prayers. Then recite the Isteftah Dua, or
opening prayer, followed by the Ta’awwuz and
Tasmiah.

The Isteftah Dua is: “Subhana Kal-lah hum-ma

wabi hamdika wata-baara kasmuka wata'ala
jad-duka wala ilaha ghyruk.” This translates to,
“Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are
due unto you, and blessed is your name and
high is your majesty and none is worthy of
worship but you.”
The transliteration of the Ta’awwuz is, “A'udhu
bil-lahi minash Shayta-nir-rajeem,” which
translates in English to, “I seek Allah's
protection from Satan who is accursed.” You
only need to recite Ta’awwuz once.
The transliteration of the Tasmiah is, “Bismillah
hir-Rahma nir-Raheem,” which translates to,
“In the name of Allah, the most Kind and the
most Merciful.” You should recite Tasmiah
before each Surah, or chapter of the Quran,
that you recite.

Recite the Surah Fatiha. Before offering the

4 Salat-al-Istikhara, recite two rak’ah (prayer
cycles), starting with the Surah Fatiha. Remember
to start each Surah by saying, “Bismillah hir-
Rahma nir-Raheem.” [2]

The Surah Fatiha is recited in each rak’ah. Its

transliteration is:

Alhamdul lil-lahi rab-bil 'alameen

Ar rahma nir-raheem
Maliki yawmid-deen
Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een
Ihdinas siratal mustaqeem
Siratal Lazeena an'amta 'alayhim
Ghai-ril maghdubi 'alayhim
Walad dal-leen. Ameen.
In English, this translates to:

Praise is only for Allah, Lord of the Universe.

The most Kind, the most Merciful.
The master of the Day of Judgement.
You alone we worship and to you alone we
pray for help.
Show us the straight way,
The way of those whom you have blessed.
Who have not deserved your anger,
Nor gone astray.[3]

Recite the Surah al-Kafirun. After the Surah

5 Fatiha, continue your two rak’ah recitations
with the Surah al-Kafirun, or chapter 109 of the
Quran. Be sure to start each Surah by saying,
“Bismillah hir-Rahma nir-Raheem.”

The transliteration of the Surah al-Kafirun is:

Qul yaa-ai yuhal kaafiroon

Laa a'budu ma t'abudoon
Wa laa antum 'aabidoona maa a'bud
Wa laa ana 'abidum maa 'abattum
Wa laa antum 'aabidoona ma a'bud
Lakum deenukum wa liya deen.
This translates to:

Say : O ye that reject Faith!

I worship not that which ye worship,
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
Nor will I worship those whom you have
worshipped;
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
To you be your Way, and to me mine.[4]

Recite the Surah Fatiha again then the

6 Surah al-Ikhlas. Say the Surah Fatiha once
again, then recite the Surah al-Ikhlas. Start with
Tasmiah, or “Bismillah hir-Rahma nir-Raheem.”

The transliteration of Surah al-Ikhlas is:

Qul huwal laahu ahad

Allah hus-samad
Lam yalid wa lam yoolad
Wa lam yakul-lahu kufuwan ahad
The English translation is:

Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;

Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
And there is none like unto Him.[5]

Recite the Istikhara supplication. After

7 offering two rak’ah, you are ready to recite the
Istikhara supplication.[6]

The Salat-al-Istikhara transliteration is:

Allahumma innee astakheeruka bi ilmika wa-

astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min
fadhlika al-adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru walaa
aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu walaa a'alamu wa anta
allaamul ghuyoob.
Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal-amr
khayrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-
'aaqibat amriy, faqdur hu liy wa- liy thumma
baarik liy feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna
haadhal amr sharrun liy fiy deeniy wa-
ma'aashiy wa-'aaqibat amriy. Fa asrifhu 'annee
wa-srifni 'anhu. Wa aqdur lial khayra haythu
kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee.
The English translation is:

O Allah! Behold I ask You the good through

Your Knowledge, and ability through Your
Power, and beg (Your favour) out of Your
infinite Bounty. For surely You have Power; I
have none. You know all; I know not. You are
the Great Knower of all things.
O Allah! If in Your Knowledge this matter be
good for my faith, for my livelihood, and for the
consequences of my affairs, then ordain it for
me, and make it easy for me, and bless me
therein. But if in Your Knowledge, this matter
be bad for my faith, for my livelihood, and for
the consequences of my affairs, then turn it
away from me, and turn me away therefrom,
and ordain for me the good wherever it be, and
cause me to please with it.
Where "haadhal amr" (this matter) appears,
mention the affair for which you seek
guidance.

Repeat the prayer as many times and for as

8 many days as you desire. You may choose
to repeat the Istikhara supplication or continue
reciting as many rak’ah as you desire. Continue to
incorporate Istikhara into your daily prayers until
you have found resolution. Try performing it for
seven days, but stop if you feel you have been
given an answer between that time.[7]

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Method 2 of 3:
Asking for Guidance

Pray the Istikhara when you need to make a

1 decision. Performing Istikhara is appropriate
whenever you have to make a non-obligatory
decision. It’s a powerful prayer of guidance for
whenever you are unsure about a decision.
Examples could include:[8]

Choosing a university or graduate school.

Deciding whether to take a job offer.
Choosing a spouse.

Perform Istikhara after Salat al-Fajr or Salat

2 al-Lail. It’s always best to recite two rak’ah
before asking for guidance. It’s advised to
incorporate Istikhara into your morning prayer
(Salat al-Fajr) or after Salat al-Lail. Salat al-Lail is a
voluntary late night prayer. It does not have a
mandated number of rak’ah, but if it you perform it,
it must be after the obligatory Isha, or night
prayer.[9]

Seek advice from knowledgeable people

3 when praying for guidance. When you recite
Salat-al-Istikhara, you should also seek advice
from those you believe are wise and
knowledgeable. Avoid thinking that your answers
will simply come to you in dreams or visions.[10]

For example, suppose you are deciding

whether to take a new job. You should consult
a knowledgeable elder, like a relative or
mentor. Ask them, “Will you help me
understand how this new job might affect my
life and my faith? Do you think this is a good
decision?”

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Method 3 of 3:
Having the Right Mindset

Pray with sincerity. When you center yourself

1 on an intention in prayer, you should say
truthfully in your heart and mind that you are asking
for guidance and need help. Further, you should be
open to receiving it and taking action. To be
sincere, you should be willing to get an answer and
follow through even if it’s not the one you want to
hear.[11]

Say the prayer with firm convictions

2 instead of begging. Your intention should
only be to clearly ask for guidance with firm
convictions. Avoid begging or pleading. If you beg
or plead, you’re not really asking for guidance, but
asking for something you desire to come true.[12]

Don’t be impatient after saying the prayer.

3 You shouldn’t put Allah on a timetable. Be
patient, and avoid showing haste or desperation.
Remember not to expect miracles or symbolic
visions when praying Istikhara, but to be open to
answers in the forms of advice and subtle signs or
feelings.[13]

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Community Q&A

Question

I have heard that after performing Istikhara, a

person should not talk. Is that so?

Sobi
Top Answerer

It is not required that you not speak after

performing Istikhara, but you should be in a state
of remembrance and trust in Allah that He will
help you in your difficulties and guide you through
them.
Helpful 206 Not Helpful 26

Question

Tonight I want to pray ishtikhara. It's my first

time I will perform this salah and I didn't get the
instruction; can you please explain how I have to
pray and when? Is it Sunnah or nafal which
sura?

Community Answer

You can recite dua of istikhara after praying 2

rakat after any obligatory prayer. There is no time
specification or specific surah for it.
Helpful 187 Not Helpful 30

Question

How willl I know that Allah has answered my

prayer?

Sobi
Top Answerer

Some people may have dreams; however, this is

not always the case. For most people, the events
that occur after the istikhara usually incline those
to the path they should take.
Helpful 155 Not Helpful 26

Question

When I am performing Istikhara, can it be about

anything that I am worried about?

Community Answer

Allah has so much mercy and loves his creations.

Of course, you can perform for anything that you
are worried about, big or small. Just remember
Allah is always there for you.
Helpful 172 Not Helpful 15

Question

Is there anything Istikhara cannot be used for?

Sobi
Top Answerer

Istikhara can be done for anything, regardless of

how big or small you may think it is. You can ask
Allah for guidance for anything - there's no
requirement of what it can be about.
Helpful 131 Not Helpful 20

Question

I'm in a relationship with someone and I'm not

sure whether he's the right person for me. Can
istikhara prayer be helpful for this?

Community Answer

Yes, absolutely. Istakhara means receiving a

suggestion from Allah. You will feel the answer in
your heart.
Helpful 313 Not Helpful 39

Question

I have done istikhara before and it came out well.

Can I do istikhara again for my struggling
marriage?

Sobi
Top Answerer

Of course. There's no limit to how often you can

do istikhara. In fact, it's good to ask Allah for
support and guidance during times of hardship,
so you're allowed to do it multiple times.
Helpful 190 Not Helpful 22

Question

I am living with my in-laws and extended family.

Things are not that good. For the sake of my
kids' future, my husband and I might move out.
Can I do istikhara?

Sobi
Top Answerer

Istikhara can be done for many different reasons

and in several situations. In this situation, you
want help or guidance, so you may perform
istikhara to ask Allah to guide you in this difficult
situation. The Prophet said, "If any one of you is
concerned about a decision he has to make, then
let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer."
Helpful 108 Not Helpful 15

Question

My dad is confused about selling his property?

Can I perform salatul istikhara instead of him?

Sobi
Top Answerer

Yes. While salatul istikhara is a means of finding

guidance for oneself, it is permissible for you to
perform it on behalf of someone, or to help
someone seek guidance for some sort of