English Translation

Jabir said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would teach us the istikharah (seeking guidance) prayer for all matters, just as he would teach us a surah from the Quran. He said: 'When one of you intends to do something, let him pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek Your ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your immense bounty. For You are able and I am not, You know and I do not, and 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 affair — or he said: in my immediate and future affairs — then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair — or he said: in my immediate and future 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 content with it.' And he names his need."