Guide
Salat al-Istikhara: The Prayer for Guidance
Salat al-Istikhara is a prayer for seeking good when facing a genuine choice — a job, a marriage, a move. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught it as carefully as he taught chapters of the Qur'an: two units of prayer followed by a supplication asking God to guide the worshipper toward what is best and away from what is harmful.
When to pray it
Istikhara can be prayed at any time outside the discouraged windows, whenever you face a real decision between permissible options. It is not for choosing between right and wrong — those are already decided — but for the many choices where the better path is unclear.
How it is prayed
Pray two voluntary units as normal, then, while still in a state of worship, recite the transmitted Istikhara supplication, naming your need at the point the words call for it. The supplication asks God, who knows what the worshipper does not, to make the matter easy and blessed if it is good, and to turn it away if it is not.
What to expect afterward
Istikhara is not primarily about seeing a dream or a sign. The guidance most scholars describe is a settling of the heart and the unfolding of circumstances: after sincerely seeking God's help, you proceed with the choice, trusting that He will steer matters toward what is best. It may be repeated when uncertainty remains.