Salat al-Istikhara is the Prophet’s ﷺ taught way to ask Allah for guidance when you face a choice. It’s a short two-rakʿah voluntary prayer followed by a specific dua asking Allah to guide you toward what is good and to turn you away from what is harmful. Below is a clear, usable step-by-step you can follow.

1) Make your niyyah (intention)

Decide quietly in your heart that you are praying two voluntary rakʿahs seeking guidance (istikharah) about a specific matter. You don’t need to say the intention out loud  keep it plain and focused.

Example intention in your heart: “I intend two rakʿahs nafl seeking guidance from Allah about [state the matter briefly].”

2) Perform Wudu (ablution)

Be in a state of wudu. If you already are, you may proceed.

3) Pray two rakʿahs of voluntary (nafl) prayer

Pray two units (rakʿahs) of voluntary prayer as you would any regular prayer. You may recite any portion of the Qur’an in each rakʿah; many people recite short surahs after Fātiḥah (for example, Sūrat al-Kafirūn in the first and Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ in the second) to keep it simple and focused.

Treat the prayer sincerely and calmly this is not a rushed ritual.

4) After the prayer, recite the Istikhara dua

Once you finish the tashahhud and salam (ending the prayer), sit briefly and make the istikhara dua with presence of heart. The commonly taught text (Arabic, transliteration, and English translation) is below.

Arabic (common version):
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: فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ) فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.

Transliteration (common):
“Allahumma inni astakhīruka bi-ʿilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, wa asʾaluka min faḍlika al-ʿaẓīm. Fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdiru, wa taʿlamu wa lā aʿlamu, wa anta ʿallāmu al-ghuyūb. Allahumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhā al-amra khayrun lī fī dīni wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī (aw: fī ʿājili amrī wa ājilihi), faqdurhu lī wa yassirhu lī thumma bārik lī fīhi. Wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hādhā al-amra sharrun lī fī dīni wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī fa-aṣrifhu ʿannī wa aṣrifnī ʿanhu wa-qdur lī al-khayra ḥaythu kāna thumma raḍḍinī bihi.”

English (meaning):
“O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your great bounty. For You are able while I am not and You know while I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this affair (then name it mentally) to be good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affairs then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know this affair to be harmful to 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 ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.”

5) Make personal dua and reflect

After the formal dua, pour out your heart to Allah in your own words about the matter. State your concerns, hopes, and fears. Ask Allah to make things clear.

6) Be patient and watch for guidance

Guidance may come in different ways:

• A clear ease or difficulty in the matter (events unfolding).

• Increased conviction or a persistent discomfort regarding the option.

• Good counsel from trustworthy people.

• Inner peace about one choice and unease about the other.

Do not expect a dramatic dream every time. Sometimes the guidance is a quiet settling of the heart or simply facilitation from Allah. If the matter is important, many scholars recommend repeating Istikhara over several nights (or whenever you perform voluntary prayer), maintaining tawakkul (trust), and seeking counsel.

Practical points & etiquette

• Time: Istikhara may be prayed at any time when voluntary prayer is allowed. Avoid the three disliked times for voluntary prayers (sunrise, when the sun is at its zenith, and sunset).

• Frequency: You can repeat it more than once for the same matter. The Prophet ﷺ taught his companions to do so.

• Use reason and consultation: Istikhara does not replace sensible planning, research, or consulting reliable people use all the tools Allah gave you.

• Sincerity: The key is sincerity and true trust in Allah’s will (tawakkul).

• If both options seem okay: If both paths appear permissible and nothing decisive occurs, choose the one that is easier to execute and more beneficial, while remaining content and trusting.

Final reminder (encouragement)

Istikhara is a beautiful act of reliance: you ask the One who knows the unseen to guide what you cannot foresee. Do it earnestly, combine it with wise action, and trust that Allah loves to guide those who sincerely seek Him.