Guidance

Istikhara for a Marriage Decision

When considering a marriage proposal, many Muslims turn to Salat al-Istikhara — the prayer for seeking goodness — to ask Allah to guide them toward what is best for their faith and future. This page shares the authentic supplication and a calm, practical approach. It is general educational content; for personal rulings, consult a knowledgeable, trustworthy scholar.

What Istikhara is

Istikhara is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which a person prays two units (rak'ah) of voluntary prayer and then makes a specific supplication, asking Allah to make the matter easy and blessed if it is good, and to turn it away if it is harmful. It is a way of placing trust (tawakkul) in Allah after making a sincere effort to decide.

How to perform it

Have a sincere intention and a specific matter in mind (for example, a particular marriage proposal).
Perform ritual purification (wudu), then pray two rak'ah of voluntary (nafl) prayer — not at a forbidden time.
After the prayer, praise Allah and send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then recite the Istikhara supplication below.
When you reach the words for "this matter", bring your specific decision to mind.
Proceed with what your heart inclines toward after sincere effort and consultation (mashura), trusting that Allah will guide the outcome to what is best.

The Istikhara supplication

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 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 أَرْضِنِي بِهِ.

Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika-l-'azim. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamu-l-ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-l-amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fih. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-l-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri, fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu, waqdur liya-l-khayra haythu kana thumma ardini bih.

"O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power and I have none, and You know and I know not; You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood 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 livelihood and the outcome of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it."

Source: Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Etiquette & common misconceptions

Istikhara does not require seeing a dream. Guidance often comes through ease, circumstances, and a settled heart.
It is meant to accompany sincere effort and consultation with trustworthy, knowledgeable people (mashura) — not to replace them.
There is no fixed number of times; some repeat it while the matter remains undecided.
Approach it with contentment: trust that whatever unfolds after sincere istikhara carries goodness.

A note: This is general educational content to support your decision, alongside prayer and family consultation. For rulings specific to your situation, please consult a knowledgeable and trustworthy scholar.