Translation of Istikhara Prayer:
O Allah! Indeed, I seek goodness from You with Your knowledge, and I seek strength from You with Your power, and I ask You for Your great favor, for You have power and I do not have power, You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If You know that indeed this matter is good for me concerning my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs, then decree it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that indeed this matter is bad for me concerning 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, then make me pleased with it.
◈ This Istikhara can be performed at any time during the day or night.
◈ In the present era, some people have turned Istikhara into a business, and this method has become like an epidemic.
◈ People have established Istikhara centers everywhere, whereas the Sunnah is that a person should perform Istikhara themselves; there is no evidence from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they had Istikhara done by someone else.
◈ Those who perform Istikhara have come to believe that if they perform Istikhara through a certain elder, they will receive a definite answer to act upon, and that elder will inform them of the correct situation through a dream. However, if a person in need performs Istikhara sincerely to Allah, the One without partner, Allah will open their chest and direct their attention towards a certain path. Along with Istikhara for good deeds, one should also continue to seek advice from righteous companions.
