Sunan Abi Dawud
Hadith 1538 / 5274 76
Hadith #1538
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، خَالُ الْقَعْنَبِيِّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى - الْمَعْنَى وَاحِدٌ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَوَالِ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الاِسْتِخَارَةَ كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ لَنَا ‏"‏ إِذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ وَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ - يُسَمِّيهِ بِعَيْنِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَمَعَادِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُهُ شَرًّا لِي مِثْلَ الأَوَّلِ فَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ قَالَ ‏"‏ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَابْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ ‏.‏
Al-Albani: Sahih Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Sahih Shuaib Al Arnaut: Sahih Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih Bukhari (1162)
Jabir b. 'Abd Allah said:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach us the supplication for isthikharah (seeking what us beneficial from Allah) as he would teach us a surah (chapter) from the Qur'an. He would tell us: When one of you intends to do a work, he should offer two supererogatory rak'ahs of prayer, and then say (at the end of the prayer): "O Allah, I seek Your choice on the better (of the two matters) based upon Your knowledge, and I seek Your decree based upon Your power, and I ask You for Your great bounties. For Indeed, You are the One Who Decrees, and I do not decree, and You know, and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this - here he should name exactly what he wishes - is better for me with regard to my religion, and my life, and my afterlife, and the end result of my affairs, then decree it to me, and make it easy for me, and bless me on it. O Allah, and if You know this to be evil for me - and he says just as he said the first time - then avert it for me, and avert me from it. And decree for me good wherever it might be, the make me content with it." A version goes: "If the work is good immediately or subsequently." Ibn Maslamah and Ibn 'Isa reported from Muhammad b. al-Munkadir on the authority of Jabir
Reference: Book 8, Hadith 123

Chapters & Sections

Chapter 0
Chapter 0
Chapter 1
Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah)
Hadith #1 — 390
Chapter 2
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
Hadith #391 — 1160
Chapter 3
The Book Of The Prayer For Rain (Kitab al-Istisqa')
Hadith #1161 — 1197
Chapter 4
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Rules of Law about the Prayer during Journey
Hadith #1198 — 1249
Chapter 5
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers
Hadith #1250 — 1370
Chapter 6
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan
Hadith #1371 — 1400
Chapter 7
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Prostration while reciting the Qur'an
Hadith #1401 — 1415
Chapter 8
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr
Hadith #1416 — 1555
Chapter 9
Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)
Hadith #1556 — 1700
Chapter 10
The Book of Lost and Found Items
Hadith #1701 — 1720
Chapter 11
The Rites of Hajj (Kitab Al-Manasik Wa'l-Hajj)
Hadith #1721 — 2045
Chapter 12
Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah)
Hadith #2046 — 2174
Chapter 13
Divorce (Kitab Al-Talaq)
Hadith #2175 — 2312
Chapter 14
Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)
Hadith #2313 — 2476
Chapter 15
Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad)
Hadith #2477 — 2787
Chapter 16
Sacrifice (Kitab Al-Dahaya)
Hadith #2788 — 2843
Chapter 17
Game (Kitab Al-Said)
Hadith #2844 — 2861
Chapter 18
Wills (Kitab Al-Wasaya)
Hadith #2862 — 2884
Chapter 19
Shares of Inheritance (Kitab Al-Fara'id)
Hadith #2885 — 2927
Chapter 20
Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)
Hadith #2928 — 3088
Chapter 21
Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)
Hadith #3089 — 3241
Chapter 22
Oaths and Vows (Kitab Al-Aiman Wa Al-Nudhur)
Hadith #3242 — 3325
Chapter 23
Commercial Transactions (Kitab Al-Buyu)
Hadith #3326 — 3415
Chapter 24
Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)
Hadith #3416 — 3570
Chapter 25
The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah)
Hadith #3571 — 3640
Chapter 26
Knowledge (Kitab Al-Ilm)
Hadith #3641 — 3668
Chapter 27
Drinks (Kitab Al-Ashribah)
Hadith #3669 — 3735
Chapter 28
Foods (Kitab Al-At'imah)
Hadith #3736 — 3854
Chapter 29
Medicine (Kitab Al-Tibb)
Hadith #3855 — 3903
Chapter 30
Divination and Omens (Kitab Al-Kahanah Wa Al-Tatayyur)
Hadith #3904 — 3925
Chapter 31
The Book of Manumission of Slaves
Hadith #3926 — 3968
Chapter 32
Dialects and Readings of the Qur'an (Kitab Al-Huruf Wa Al-Qira'at)
Hadith #3969 — 4008
Chapter 33
Hot Baths (Kitab Al-Hammam)
Hadith #4009 — 4019
Chapter 34
Clothing (Kitab Al-Libas)
Hadith #4020 — 4158
Chapter 35
Combing the Hair (Kitab Al-Tarajjul)
Hadith #4159 — 4213
Chapter 36
Signet-Rings (Kitab Al-Khatam)
Hadith #4214 — 4239
Chapter 37
Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim)
Hadith #4240 — 4278
Chapter 38
The Promised Deliverer (Kitab Al-Mahdi)
Hadith #4279 — 4290
Chapter 39
Battles (Kitab Al-Malahim)
Hadith #4291 — 4350
Chapter 40
Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud)
Hadith #4351 — 4493
Chapter 41
Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat)
Hadith #4494 — 4595
Chapter 42
Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)
Hadith #4596 — 4772
Chapter 43
General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)
Hadith #4773 — 5274

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