Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach us Istikhara just as he would teach us a surah from the Qur’an. He said:“When any of you intends to do something, he should say: ‘O Allah, I seek Your guidance by Your knowledge, and I seek ability by Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. For surely, You have power and I do not have power, and You know and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if this matter is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and the outcome of my affair, then decree it for me. And if other than this is better for me, then make good easy for me wherever it may be, and turn evil away from me wherever it may be, and make me content with Your decree.’”