# Sahifa Sajjadiyya 33: His Supplication in Asking for Best

- **Arabic title:** دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِخَارَةِ
- **Type:** Dua
- **Categories:** [Sahifa Sajjadiyya](https://duasonline.org/category/sahifa-sajjadiyya.md), [Seeking Needs](https://duasonline.org/category/seeking-needs.md), [Istikhara](https://duasonline.org/category/istikhara.md)
- **Recitation:** none yet
- **Web page:** https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-33

## Origin

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a), al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, supplication 33: seeking the best (istikhara). Transmitted through the chain given in the Sahifa's preface; standard printed editions.

## Source

Arabic text, translation and transliteration from [duas.org](https://www.duas.org/mobile/sahifasajjadia-dua33-asking-for-best.html).

## Text

Each line gives the Arabic, then the transliteration in italics, then the English.

1. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ\
   *Allāhumma ʾinnī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmika*\
   O Allah! I seek the best from You through Your knowledge.

2. فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ، وَاقْضِ لِي بِالْخِيَرَةِ\
   *Fa-ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa-Ālihī, wa-qḍi lī bil-khīrah*\
   So bless Muhammad and his family, and decree for me the best choice.

3. وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ الِاخْتِيَارِ،\
   *Wa-alhimnā maʿrifata al-ikhtiyār*\
   And inspire us with knowledge of choosing rightly.

4. وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ذَرِيعَةً إِلَى الرِّضَا\
   *Wa-jʿal dhālika dharīʿatan ilā al-riḍā*\
   And make that a means to contentment.

5. بِمَا قَضَيْتَ لَنَا، وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لِمَا حَكَمْتَ\
   *Bimā qaḍayta lanā, wa-al-taslīmi limā ḥakamta*\
   With what You have decreed for us, and submitting to what You decide.

6. فَأَزِحْ عَنَّا رَيْبَ الِارْتِيَابِ\
   *Fa-aziḥ ʿannā rayba al-irtīyāb*\
   So remove from us the doubts of uncertainty.

7. وَأَيِّدْنَا بِيَقِينِ الْمُخْلِصِينَ\
   *Wa-ayyidnā bi-yaqīni al-mukhliṣīn*\
   And strengthen us with the certainty of the sincere.

8. وَلَا تَسُمْنَا عَجْزَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ عَمَّا تَخَيَّرْتَ\
   *Wa-lā tasumnā ʿajza al-maʿrifati ʿammā takhayyarta*\
   And do not make us suffer the ignorance of what You have chosen.

9. فَنَغْمِطَ قَدْرَكَ، وَنَكْرَهَ مَوْضِعَ رِضَاكَ\
   *Fa-naghmiṭa qadraka, wa-nakraha mawḍiʿa riḍāk*\
   So that we belittle Your decree or dislike the place of Your pleasure.

10. وَنَجْنَحَ إِلَى الَّتِي هِيَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعَاقِبَةِ\
   *Wa-najnaḥa ilā allatī hiya abʿadu min ḥusni al-ʿāqibah*\
   And incline towards that which is far from a good outcome.

11. وَأَقْرَبُ إِلَى ضِدِّ الْعَافِيَةِ\
   *Wa-aqrabu ilā ḍiddi al-ʿāfiyah*\
   And nearer to the opposite of well-being.

12. حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا مَا نَكْرَهُ مِنْ قَضَائِكَ\
   *Ḥabbib ʾilaynā mā nakrahu min qaḍāʾika*\
   Make beloved to us what we dislike from Your decree.

13. وَسَهِّلْ عَلَيْنَا مَا نَسْتَصْعِبُ مِنْ حُكْمِكَ\
   *Wa-sahhil ʿalaynā mā nastasʿibu min ḥukmika*\
   And make easy for us what we find difficult from Your judgment.

14. وَأَلْهِمْنَا الِانْقِيَادَ لِمَا أَوْرَدْتَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ مَشِيَّتِكَ\
   *Wa-alhimnā al-inqiyāda limā awradta ʿalaynā min mashīʾatika*\
   And inspire us to submit to whatever You bring upon us from Your will.

15. حَتَّى لَا نُحِبَّ تَأْخِيرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ\
   *Ḥattā lā nuḥibba taʾkhīra mā ʿajjalta*\
   So that we do not wish to delay what You hasten.

16. وَلَا تَعْجِيلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ، وَلَا نَكْرَهَ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ\
   *Wa-lā taʿjīla mā akhkharta, wa-lā nakraha mā aḥbabta*\
   Nor hasten what You delay, nor dislike what You love.

17. وَلَا نَتَخَيَّرَ مَا كَرِهْتَ\
   *Wa-lā natakhayyara mā karihta*\
   Nor choose what You dislike.

18. وَاخْتِمْ لَنَا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْمَدُ عَاقِبَةً وَأَكْرَمُ مَصِيرًا\
   *Wa-akhtim lanā billatī hiya aḥmadu ʿāqibatan wa-akramu maṣīrā*\
   And seal for us with that which is the best outcome and most honorable end.

19. إِنَّكَ تُفِيدُ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَتُعْطِي الْجَسِيمَةَ\
   *ʾInnak tufīdu al-karīmata wa-tuʿṭī al-jasīmah*\
   Surely You bestow generosity and grant great gifts.

20. وَتَفْعَلُ مَا تُرِيدُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ\
   *Wa-tafʿalu mā turīdu, wa-anta ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr*\
   And You do what You will, and You are powerful over all things.

## Related

- [Dua Istikhara](https://duasonline.org/dua/dua-istikhara.md)
- [Sahifa Sajjadiyya 13: His Supplication in Seeking Needs From God](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-13.md)
- [Sahifa Sajjadiyya 19: His Supplication in Asking for Water During a Drought](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-19.md)
- [Sahifa Sajjadiyya 21: When Something Made Him Sorrowful](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-21.md)