Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness)

The Holy Quran

“Alif Lam Ra.(This is) a Book with verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning) further explained in detail from One Who is Wise and Well-Acquainted (with all things): (It teaches) that you should worship none but Allah. (Say:) ‘Verily I am (sent) unto you from Him to warn and to bring glad tidings. (“And to preach thus) ‘Seek you the forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance; that He may grant you enjoyment good (and true) for a term appointed and bestow His abounding grace on all who abound in merit! But if you turn away then I fear for you the Penalty of a Great Day.’ ” (11;1-3)

“But ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him (in repentance): for my Lord is indeed Full of mercy and loving-kindness.”(11;90)

“But Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad) were amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah’s) Forgiveness.” (8;33),

Hadith On Importance Of Istighfar:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.(Abu Dawud)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“There is (at times) some sort of shade upon my heart, and I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day.”(Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.”( Bukhari)

The Way To Do Istighfar

“Astaghfirullah” – “I seek Allah’s forgiveness.”(Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would say:

“Astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik” – “I seek Your forgiveness and return unto You.”(Ahmad, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever says, on Friday morning before the salatul fajr: ‘Astaghfirullaahalladhi laa ilaaha illa huwal hayyul qayyumu wa attuubu ilaih’ – ‘I seek the forgiveness of Allah, there is no other god except Him, the Living, the Sustaining, and I repent unto Him,’ three times, Allah will forgive his sins even if they were as abundant as the foam on the sea.”(Bukhari)

The Prophet ( peace be upon him), said,

“The best supplication for forgiveness is to say, ‘Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu. A’udhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya wa abu’u laka bidhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfirudhdhunuba illa anta (O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I try my best to keep my covenant (faith) with You and to live in the hope of Your promise. I seek refuge in You from evil done by me. I acknowledge Your favors upon me and I acknowledge my sins. So forgive me for none forgives sins but You.”‘)(Bukhari)

The Prophet (peace be upon him), added,

“If somebody recites this during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be one of the people of Paradise. And if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be one of the people of Paradise.”(Bukhari)