"ISTIKHAARAH"

When one wishes to accomplish an important task ( and one is not certain with regards to its feasibility), one should offer 2 Rak'aat Nafl Salaah and then recite this Dua:

"O'Allah, I ask of You the good through Your knowledge and I ask You to grant me ability through Your power and beg Your favour out of Your infinite bounty. For surely, You have power and I have none. You know all and I know not. You are the Knower of all that is hidden. O'Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter is good for my faith (Deen), my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs in the world and the hereafter then ordain it for me and make it easy for me and bless me therein. But if, in Your knowledge, this matter be bad for my faith, my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs in the world or the hereafter then turn it away from me and turn me away therefrom and ordain for me the good wherever it be and cause me to be pleased therewith."

It is mentioned in the hadiath that when reciting this Dua, on reaching the words haazal-amr, one should make mention of one's need for which one is doing the Istikhaarah

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