Prayer of Istekhaarah with Sheets

Text and Translation

Istekhaarah is the process of praying Almighty Allah for leading to the best option from among many options.

When you are too confused to decide on a certain matter and you thus intend to ask Almighty Allah to lead you to the most suitable option, you may take six sheets of paper and write down the following on three of them:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

BISMIL LAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEME

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

خِيَرَةٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَكِيْمِ لِفُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ اِفْعَلْ.

KHEYARATUM MENAL LAAHIL A’ZEEZIL HAKEEME LE-FOLAAN IBNE FOLAANIN IF-A’L.

A choice [and guidance] from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise, for So-and-so, son of So-and-so: Do [it].

On the other three sheets of paper, you may write down the following:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

BISMIL LAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEME

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

خِيَرَةٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَكِيْمِ لِفُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ لَا تَفْعَلْ.

KHEYARATUM MENAL LAAHIL A’ZEEZIL HAKEEME LE-FOLAAN IBNE FOLAANIN LAA TAF-A’L.

A choice [and guidance] from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise, for So-and-so, son of So-and-so: Do not do [it].

You may then put all these sheets under your prayer-rug and offer a two-unit prayer. Upon accomplishment, you may prostrate yourself and repeat the following words one hundred times while prostrating:

اَسْتَخِيْرُ اللّٰهَ بِرَحْمَتِهٖ خِيَرَةً فِىْ عَافِيَةٍ.

ASTAKHEERUL LAAHA BE-RAHMATEHI KHEYARATAN FEE A’AFEYATIN.

I seek the choice [and guidance] of Allah, by His mercy—a choice accompanied by well-being and protection.

You may then take the position of sitting and say the following:

اَللّٰهُمَّ خِرْلِىْ وَاخْتَرْلِىْ فِىْ جَمِيْعِ اُمُوْرِىْ فِىْ يُسْرٍ مِّنْكَ وَ عَافِيَةٍ.

ALLAAHUMMA KHIR LEE WAKH TAR LEE FEE JAMEE-E’ OMOOREE FEE YUSRIM MINKA WA A’AFEYATIN.

O Allah, decree the best for me, and choose for me in all of my affairs with ease from You and well-being.

You may then put your hand on the sheets of paper and scatter them randomly and then take them out one by one. If the three sheets carrying the word “do it” come out in sequence, then you may do what you have intended to do. If the three sheets carrying the word “do it not” come out in sequence, then you must not do what you have intended to do. If the first sheet you pick up contains the word “do it” while the second contains the word “do it not”, then you must put all the sheets together again and pick up five sheets. If three out of these five sheets contain the word “do it”, then you must do what you have intended to do, and vice versa.