دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِخَارَةِ

His Supplication in Asking for the Best

1
أَللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ
allāhumma innī astakhiruka biʿilmika
O God, I ask from Thee the best in Thy knowledge,
2
فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ وَاقْضِ لِيْ بِالْخِيَرَةِ
faṣalli ʿalā muḥammad wa ālihī wa aqḍi lī bil-khiyarah
so bless Muhammad and his Household and decree for me the best!
3
وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ الاخْتِيَارِ،
wa alhimnā maʿrifat al-ikhtiyār
Inspire us with knowledge to chose the best
4
وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ذَرِيعَةً إلَى الرِّضَا
wajʿal dhālika dhariʿatan ilā al-riḍā
and make that a means to being pleased
5
بِمَا قَضَيْتَ لَنَا وَالتَّسْلِيْمِ لِمَا حَكَمْتَ.
bimā qaḍayta lanā wal-taslīm li-mā ḥakamta
with what Thou hast decreed for us and submitting to what Thou hast decided!
6
فَأَزِحْ عَنَّا رَيْبَ الارْتِيَابِ،
fa'azih 'anna rayba al-irtiyab
Banish from us the doubt of misgiving
7
وَأَيِّدْنَا بِيَقِينِ الْمُخْلِصِينَ،
wa ayyidnā biyaqīni almukhliṣīn
and confirm us with the certainty of the sincere!
8
وَلاَ تَسُمْنَا عَجْزَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ عَمَّا تَخَيَّرْتَ،
wala tasumnā ʿajz al-maʿrifati ʿammā takhayyart
Visit us not with incapacity to know what Thou hast chosen,
9
فَنَغْمِطَ قَدْرَكَ، وَنَكْرَهَ مَوْضِعَ رِضَاكَ،
fanaghmita qadranka, wa nakrah maudha'a ridhak
lest we despise Thy measuring out, dislike the place of Thy good pleasure,
10
وَنَجْنَحَ إلَى الَّتِي هِيَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعَاقِبَةِ
wa najnaha ila al-lati hiya ab'adu min husni al-'aqibah
and incline toward that which is further from good outcome
11
وَأَقْرَبُ إلَى ضِدِّ الْعَافِيَةِ.
wa aqrabu ila ḍiddil-'afiyah
and nearer to the opposite of well-being!
12
حَبِّبْ إلَيْنَا مَا نَكْرَهُ مِنْ قَضَائِكَ
ḥabbib ilaynā mā nakrahū min qaḍā’ika
Make us love what we dislike in Thy decree
13
وَسَهِّلْ عَلَيْنَا مَا نَسْتَصْعِبُ مِنْ حُكْمِكَ،
wasahhil ʿalayna ma nastaṣʿibu min ḥukmika
and make easy for us what we find difficult in Thy decision!
14
وَأَلْهِمْنَـا الانْقِيَـادَ لِمَا أَوْرَدْتَ عَلَيْنَـا مِنْ مَشِيَّتِكَ
wa alhimnā alinqiyād limā awradta 'alaynā min mashyyatika
Inspire us to yield to that which Thou bringest upon us by Thy will,
15
حَتَّى لاَ نُحِبَّ تَأخِيْرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ،
ḥattá lā nuḥibba taʾakhir maʾ ʿajjalta
lest we love the delay of what Thou hast hastened
16
وَلاَ تَعْجيْلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ، وَلا نَكْرَهَ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ،
walā taʿjil mā akhkhar-ta, wa-lā nakrah mā aḥbab-ta
and the hastening of what Thou hast delayed, dislike what Thou lovest,
17
وَلا نَتَخَيَّرَ مَا كَرِهْتَ،
walā natakhyarra mā karithta
and choose what Thou dislikest!
18
وَاخْتِمْ لَنَا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْمَدُ عَاقِبةً وَأكْرَمُ مَصِيراً
wa-ikhtim lana bi-allati hiya ahmadu aaqibatan wa-akramu maseeran
Seal us with that which is most praised in outcome and most generous in issue!
19
إنَّكَ تُفِيدُ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَتُعْطِي الْجَسِيمَةَ،
'innaka tufīdu l-karīmata wa tuʿṭī l-jasīmata
Surely Thou givest generous gain, bestowest the immense,
20
وَتَفْعَلُ مَا تُرِيدُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْء قَدِيرٌ .
wa tafʿalu ma turidu wa anta ʿala kulli shayʾin qadirun
dost what Thou wilt, and Thou art "powerful over everything" (3:26).