Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullãh : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surahs of the Quran. (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or deed), He said, "If anyone of you decides to do any job, he should offer a two Rak'ah Salat (prayer) other than the compulsory ones and say (after the Salat):
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ـ أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ـ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي ـ أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ـ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
The Prophet (ﷺ) added that then the person should name (mention) his need (matter).
TRANSLATION:
O Allah, I consult You as You are All- Knowing, and appeal to You to give me power as You are Omnipotent, and ask You for Your Great Favour, for You have power, but I don't, and You have knowledge, but I don't have, and You know all hidden matters. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter (or said: For my present, and future life), then do it for me; and if You know that this matter is evil (not good) for me in my religion, my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter (or said: For my present and future life), then keep it away from me and take me away from it, and choose what is good for me wherever it is, and please me with it.
