"Narrated by Hazrat Jabir ibn Abd-Allah al-Salami, he said, The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to teach us the rules of reciting Istikharah regarding our actions with the same importance as he would teach us a Surah of the Holy Quran. He used to say, "When one of you intends to do something (and is worried about its consequences), he should first pray two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, then supplicate thus: O Allah, I choose You with Your knowledge and I seek Your guidance with Your ability, and I ask You of Your bounty, for You are the Knower of the unseen, O Allah, if You know that this is الأَمْرَ تسم تسميه بعينه خَيْرا لِي فَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ قال او فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرهُ لي وَيَسِرهُ لي ثُمْ بَارِك لي فِيهِ, ALLAH وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّه شَرٌّ لي في ديني وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ في عَاجِلِ امري وَآجِلِهِ, فَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ عَنِّى], And He has ordained for me good, as He was, and then He has pleased me with it. Pronunciation: Allah-humma ibi astakhiruka biilmika a astakdiruka bi qudratika a asaluka min fazbalikal azeem, faynaka taqdiru ala aqdiru ata'lamu ala a'lamu a anta Allah-mul-guyub. Allah-humma in kunta talamu anna ha-zal amar ( ) khairul li li deeni a maashi a aqibati amri a a-jilihi a a-jilih, faqdurhu li, a yassirhu li, summa ba-rik li fih. O Allah! I ask You for goodness with Your knowledge. I ask You for strength and Your grace with Your power. For You have the power; I have no power. You know, I have no knowledge, and You are fully aware of the unseen. O Allah! In Your knowledge, this matter of mine (will list my needs) for my present and future life, or if it is good for my religion, livelihood, and actions, then decree it for me. Make it easy for me and bless it. O Allah! And if, in Your knowledge, this act of mine is harmful to my religion, my livelihood, my actions, or to my present and future, then turn me away from it and keep it away from me. Ordain for me good in all things and make me content with it.”"