Istikharah (seeking Allah’s council)

"Surah Al Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) Ayah 9: O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of God. If any act thus, the loss is their own"

Jabir bin Abdullah (R.A.W) said: “The Prophet (SAW) used to teach us to seek Allah’s council in all matters, as he used to teach us a Surah from the Qura’an. He would say: “When any one of you has an important matter to decide, let him pray 2 Rakha’ other than the obligatory prayer, and then say:

All^ahumma inni astakhi^ruka bi’ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudra-tika, wa as’aluka min fadlikal Azeemi, fainnaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta’lamu,wa la a’lamu, wa Anta All^amul-Ghuyubi, Alla^hum-ma in kunta ta’lamu anna hadhal amra-( then mention the thing to b decided)-Khairun li fee deeni wa ma’aashi wa aaqibati amri-(or say)-‘Aajilihi wa aajilihi. Faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li feehi, wa in kunta ta’lamu anna haadhal amra sharrun li fee deeni wa ma’ashi wa aaqibati amri-(or say)-‘ Aajilihi wa aajilihi. Fasrifhu ‘anni wasrifni ‘anhu waqdur liyal khaira haithu kaana thumma ardini bihi.

“Oh Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your omnipotence, and I beseech Your magnificient grace. Surely You r capable & I am not. You know & I know not, & You are the Knower of the unseen, Oh Allah, surely You know, so if this matter ( then mention the thing to be decided) is good for me, in my religion & in my life & for my welfare in the life to come,-(or say)- then ordain it from me & make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if this matter is bad for me, in my religion & in my life & for my welfare in the life to come,-(or say)- than distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it is to be found & help me to be content with it”

SAY: (O Muhammad SA) “Invoke Allah the Most Gracious (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names”