It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to teach us Istikhara (seeking guidance from Allah) in all important matters just as he would teach us a surah from the Qur'an. (He, peace be upon him, would say:) "When any one of you intends to undertake an important task, he should perform two rak'ahs (units) of voluntary prayer, then say: 'O Allah! I seek goodness from You by Your knowledge, and I seek power from You by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. Surely, You have power and I have none, and You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If, in Your knowledge, this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs—immediate or later—then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if, in Your knowledge, this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs—immediate or later—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 pleased with it.'" And he should mention his need and the name of the task."
Hadith Referenceالادب المفرد / كتاب / 703
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«صحيح : أخرجه البخاري ، كتاب الدعوات : 6382 و أبوداؤد : 1538 و الترمذي : 480 و النسائي : 3253 و ابن ماجه : 1383»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), he said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated in this mosque, meaning the Mosque of Fath, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Wednesday, between the two prayers, the supplication of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was accepted. Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whenever any extremely important matter confronted me, I would choose that same time to supplicate. Thus, whenever I supplicated to Allah Almighty on Wednesday, between the two prayers, I certainly saw signs of acceptance.
Hadith Referenceالادب المفرد / كتاب / 704
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:حسن
Hadith Takhrij«حسن : أخرجه أحمد : 14563 و البيهقي فى شعب الإيمان : 3874 و البزار : 431 ، كشف - انظر صحيح الترغيب : 1185»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when a man made supplication and said: "O Creator of the heavens without any previous example! O Ever-Living, Sustainer! I ask You." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know with what he supplicated? By the One in Whose hand is my soul, he has supplicated to Allah with His Name that when supplication is made with it, He surely accepts it."
Hadith Referenceالادب المفرد / كتاب / 705
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«صحيح : أخرجه أبوداؤد ، كتاب الوتر : 1495 و الترمذي : 3544 و النسائي : 1300 و ابن ماجه : 3885»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, "Teach me a supplication that I may recite in my prayer." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Say: O Allah! Indeed, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive me with forgiveness from Yourself, and have mercy on me. Surely, You are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Hadith Referenceالادب المفرد / كتاب / 706
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«صحيح : أخرجه البخاري ، كتاب التوحيد : 7387 ، 3231 و مسلم : 2705 و الترمذي : 3531 و النسائي : 1302 و ابن ماجه : 3835»