---
title: "The Full Text of the Istikhara Dua: The Authentic Hadith and Its Source"
description: "🤲 Salāt al-Istikhārah is an established Sunnah: two non-obligatory rak‘ahs followed by the istikhārah supplication.📖 Its basis is the hadith of Jābi"
url: "https://iqraairtqi.com/en/blogs/istikhara-dua-full-text-hadith"
date: "2026-08-17T19:01:55+00:00"
---

# The Full Text of the Istikhara Dua: The Authentic Hadith and Its Source

<div class="whiteboard-box">- 🤲 **Salāt al-Istikhārah** is an established Sunnah: two non-obligatory rak‘ahs followed by the istikhārah supplication.
- 📖 Its basis is the hadith of Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
- ✅ It is prescribed for **permissible** matters whose outcome is unclear — not for obligations or prohibitions.
- ❌ **Seeing a dream afterward is not a requirement**; the servant proceeds with what their heart settles on, relying on Allah.

</div>How to Perform Salāt al-Istikhārah
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At **Iqraa Irtaqii Academy** we guide our students to pray istikhārah before every important decision. It is part of Allah’s mercy that a servant hands their affair back to their Lord to choose for them.

### The evidence

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:

> “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to teach us istikhārah in all matters as he would teach us a sūrah of the Qur’an. He said: ‘When one of you is concerned about a decision, let him pray two rak‘ahs other than the obligatory prayer, then say: O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. For You are able and I am not, and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter to be good for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affair — or he said: the near and far term of it — then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know this matter to be bad for me in my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affair — or he said: the near and far term of it — then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, then make me content with it.’ He said: and he names his need.” (Reported by al-Bukhārī.)

### Steps of the prayer

1. Perform ablution, then pray **two rak‘ahs** with the intention of istikhārah, other than the obligatory prayer.
2. After the taslīm, raise the hands, praise Allah, send blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him), then recite the istikhārah supplication.
3. At the words “this matter,” name your need — in the heart or aloud.
4. Conclude with blessings on the Prophet and praise of Allah, then proceed with your affair in reliance on Allah.

<div style="text-align:center;margin:35px 0;">Want to memorise authentic supplications and learn the rulings of prayer?

[Book a free trial lesson on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/97466657295)</div>### Frequently Asked Questions

<div class="faq-section"><div class="faq-item">**Q: Must I see a dream after istikhārah?**A: That is not a requirement. The servant proceeds with what is facilitated and what their heart is at ease with, trusting that Allah has chosen for them.

</div><div class="faq-item">**Q: May istikhārah be repeated?**A: Yes, there is no harm in repeating it as long as the matter remains unclear.

</div><div class="faq-item">**Q: Is the supplication said before or after the taslīm?**A: The apparent meaning of the hadith is that it is after the taslīm of the two rak‘ahs, which is the view of the majority of scholars.

</div></div>Learn more: the academy’s [Quran and Islamic-studies programs](/en/online-quran-academy).