istikhara

This prayer can be said in any language, as Allah is considered the God of all nations and tribes, not just of the Arabs and he therefore accepts all prayers and deeds providing they are correct in nature and purely dedicated to Allah alone.

The original Arabic text is below, followed by transliteration using Latin characters.

Reading the prayer in Arabic is not considered essential, what is deemed essential is that the reader's heart is sincerely rendered humble to God in full reliance and trust:

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 (mention your concern) khayrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-'aaqibati amriy, faqdur hu liy wa-'yassar hu- liy thumma baarik liy feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amr sharrun liy fiy deeniy wa-ma'aashiy wa-'aaqibati amriy. Fa-srifhu 'annee wa-srifni 'anhu. Wa aqdur lial khayra haythu kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee

"O Allah, I seek Your counsel through Your knowledge and I seek Your assistance through Your might and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You alone decree our fate while I do not, and You know while I do not, and You alone possess all knowledge of the Unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter ( mention matter here ) to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life and livelihood and the end of my affairs, my present and future, then decree it for me and facilitate it for me, and then place blessing for me within it, and if You know this affair to be harmful for me concerning my religion, my life and livelihood and the end of my affairs, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good, wherever it may be, and make me content with it." [1]

Ma’ana: “Ya Ubangiji! Lallai ni ina neman zabinKa bisa iliminKa, na mayar maKa damar Ka yi amfani da ikonKa, kuma ina rokonKa daga falalarKa mai girma. Kai ne Kake da iko, ni ba ni da wani iko, Kai ne Kake da sani, ni ba ni da sani, kuma Kai ne Mafi sanin abubuwan da suke boye. Ya Ubangiji! Idan Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- alheri ne gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kaddara min (ka ba ni) shi, kuma Ka saukake min shi, sannan Ka yi min albarka a cikinsa. Idan kuma Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- sharri ne a gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kawar da shi daga gare ni, kuma ka kawar da ni daga gare shi, Ka kaddara min alherin a duk inda yake, kuma Ka yarda min da shi.”Ma’ana: “Ya Ubangiji! Lallai ni ina neman zabinKa bisa iliminKa, na mayar maKa damar Ka yi amfani da ikonKa, kuma ina rokonKa daga falalarKa mai girma. Kai ne Kake da iko, ni ba ni da wani iko, Kai ne Kake da sani, ni ba ni da sani, kuma Kai ne Mafi sanin abubuwan da suke boye. Ya Ubangiji! Idan Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- alheri ne gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kaddara min (ka ba ni) shi, kuma Ka saukake min shi, sannan Ka yi min albarka a cikinsa. Idan kuma Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- sharri ne a gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kawar da shi daga gare ni, kuma ka kawar da ni daga gare shi, Ka kaddara min alherin a duk inda yake, kuma Ka yarda min da shi.” [2]

1. Allahumma

   O Allah, <> Ya Allah = Ya Ubangiji!

2. innee astakheeruka

   I seek Your counsel <> Ina neman shawararKa = Lallai ni ina neman zabinKa

3. bi ilmika

   through Your knowledge, <> ta hanyar saninKa = bisa iliminKa

4. wa-astaqdiruka

   and I seek Your assistance <> kuma ina neman taimakonKa

5. biqudratika

   through Your might <> ta hanyar k'arfin / k'udurin Ka = na mayar maKa damar Ka yi amfani da ikonKa

6. wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem.

   and I ask You from Your immense favour, <> kuma ina rokonKa daga falalarKa mai girma

7. Fa innaka taqdiru walaa aqdiru.

   for verily You alone decree our fate while I do not, <> Kai ne Kake da iko, ni ba ni da wani iko,

8. Wa ta'lamu walaa a'alamu

   and You know while I do not, <> Kai ne Kake da sani, ni ba ni da sani,

9. wa anta allaamul ghuyoob.

   and You alone possess all knowledge of the Unseen. <> kuma Kai ne Mafi sanin abubuwan da suke boye.

10. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal-amr (mention your concern)

    O Allah, if You know this matter ( mention matter here ) <> Ya Ubangiji! Idan Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi-

11. khayrun liy fiy deeniy

    to be good for me in relation to my religion, <> alheri ne gare ni a cikin addinina

12. wa-ma'aashiy

    my life <> da rayuwata

13. wa-'aaqibati amriy,

    and livelihood and the end of my affairs, <> da karshen al’amarina,

14. faqdur hu liy wa-'yassar hu- liy

    my present and future, <>

15. thumma baarik liy feehi.

    then decree it for me and facilitate it for me, and then place blessing for me within it, <> to Ka kaddara min (ka ba ni) shi, kuma Ka saukake min shi, sannan Ka yi min albarka a cikinsa.

16. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amr and if You know this affair <> Idan kuma Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi-
17. sharrun liy fiy deeniy to be harmful for me concerning my religion, <> sharri ne a gare ni a cikin addinina
18. wa-ma'aashiy my life <> da rayuwata
19. wa-'aaqibati amriy. and livelihood and the end of my affairs, <> da karshen al’amarina,
20. Fa-srifhu 'annee wa-srifni 'anhu. Wa aqdur lial khayra haythu kaana thumma a-rdhiniy bihee then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good, wherever it may be, and make me content with it. <> to Ka kawar da shi daga gare ni, kuma ka kawar da ni daga gare shi, Ka kaddara min alherin a duk inda yake, kuma Ka yarda min da shi.

Hausa

Ma’ana: “Ya Ubangiji! Lallai ni ina neman zabinKa bisa iliminKa, na mayar maKa damar Ka yi amfani da ikonKa, kuma ina rokonKa daga falalarKa mai girma. Kai ne Kake da iko, ni ba ni da wani iko, Kai ne Kake da sani, ni ba ni da sani, kuma Kai ne Mafi sanin abubuwan da suke boye. Ya Ubangiji! Idan Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- alheri ne gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kaddara min (ka ba ni) shi, kuma Ka saukake min shi, sannan Ka yi min albarka a cikinsa. Idan kuma Ka san wannan al’amari- ya ambace shi ko ya fadi abin da yake nufin yi- sharri ne a gare ni a cikin addinina da rayuwata da karshen al’amarina, to Ka kawar da shi daga gare ni, kuma ka kawar da ni daga gare shi, Ka kaddara min alherin a duk inda yake, kuma Ka yarda min da shi.” [3]