Istikhara means "seeking what is good". A Muslim facing an important decision prays two units of prayer and asks Allah for what is best. Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet taught istikhara for every matter, as he would teach a surah of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari).
How to pray istikhara
- Make your intention and perform wudu. Be clear in your heart which matter you are seeking guidance about: a marriage, a job, a move, an investment…
- Pray two units (rak'ahs) of voluntary prayer. Pray outside the obligatory prayers, at a time when prayer is not disliked.
- After the prayer, recite the istikhara supplication. Where it says "this matter", name or bring to mind your matter.
- Decide and place your trust in Allah.
The meaning of the istikhara supplication
"O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, I seek ability through Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. You are able and I am not; You know and I do not; You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my life and the outcome of my affairs, then decree it for me, make it easy for me and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my life and the outcome of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah)
Do you need an istikhara dream?
No. No authentic hadith says the answer to istikhara must come as a dream. The answer usually shows itself as:
- Your heart inclining one way and feeling at peace with it,
- Things becoming easy, or unexpectedly becoming difficult and closing,
- And sometimes, a dream.
If you do see a dream after istikhara, it should be read together with your istikhara intention: the same symbol can mean different things for a marriage istikhara and a job istikhara. Seeing no dream does not mean your istikhara was not answered.
Good to know about istikhara
- Istikhara is not prayed about forbidden or obligatory matters. It is for choosing between permissible, good options.
- Istikhara does not replace consultation. The Quran says: "Consult them in the matter, and when you have decided, put your trust in Allah" (Quran 3:159). Ask knowledgeable people first, then pray istikhara.
- It can be repeated. If your heart is still undecided, some scholars said istikhara may be repeated several times.
- Contentment with the outcome is the heart of istikhara: "and make me content with it".
In short
Istikhara is an intention, two units of prayer and the istikhara supplication. The answer may come as a dream, but more often it is understood through the inclination of the heart and the course of events. Consult, pray istikhara, then decide with trust in Allah.
Allah knows best the truth of dreams and of all affairs.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari (narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah, the istikhara supplication)
- Quran 3:159 (consultation)