On the authority of Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah RA; \"The Prophet SAS would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. He (SAS) would say, 'If any of you intends to undertake a matter then let him pray two supererogatory units (2 rakah nafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:
اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْتَخيـرُكَ بِعِاْـمِك،\"
Allahumma innee astakheeruka biAAilmik,
O Allah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge.

وَأسْتَقْـدِرُكَ بِقُـدْرَتِـك،
wa-astaqdiruka biqudratik,
and by Your power I seek strength

وَأَسْـألُـكَ مِنْ فَضْـلِكَ العَظـيم،
wa-as-aluka min fadlikal-AAatheem,
and I ask You from Your immense favour,

فَإِنَّـكَ تَقْـدِرُ وَلا أَقْـدِر،
fa-innaka taqdiru wala aqdir,
for verily You are able while I am not

وَتَـعْلَـمُ وَلا أَعْلَـم،
wataAAlamu wala aAAlam,
and verily You know while I do not

وَأَنْـتَ عَلاّمُ الغُـيوب،
wa-anta AAallamul ghuyoob,
and You are the Knower of the unseen. اللّهُـمَّ إِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ
allahumma in kunta taAAlamu anna hathal-amr
O Allah, if You know this affair

-وَيُسَـمِّي حاجَتَـه
-and here one mentions his need-

خَـيْرٌ لي في دينـي وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري،
khayrun lee fee deenee wamaAAashee waAAaqibati amree
to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end,

فَاقْـدُرْهُ لي وَيَسِّـرْهُ لي ثـمَّ بارِكْ لي فيـه،
faqdurhu lee, wayassirhu lee, thumma barik lee feeh,
then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it,

وَإِنْ كُنْـتَ تَعْـلَمُ أَنَّ هـذا الأمْـرَ شَـرٌ لي في دينـي
wa-in kunta taAAlamu anna hathal-amr sharrun lee fee deenee
and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion,

وَمَعـاشي وَعاقِـبَةِ أَمْـري،
wamaAAashee waAAaqibati amree
my life, and end,

فَاصْرِفْـهُ عَـنّْي وَاصْرِفْني عَنْـهُ
fasrifhu AAannee wasrifnee AAanh,
then remove it from me and remove me from it,

وَاقْـدُرْ لي الخَـيْرَ حَيْـثُ كانَ
waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kan,
and decree for me what is good wherever it be

ثُـمَّ أَرْضِـني بِـه
thumma ardinee bih.
and make me satisfied with such\"