Narrated Abu Huraira:
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “If somebody commits a sin and then says, ‘O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!’ and his Lord says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).’ Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then again commits another sin and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin). Then he remains without Committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time) and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes.” [Bukhari]
Human beings are prone to committing sins both consciously and unconsciously. We all fall prey to the whisperings of Satan now and again. Although we should make our best effort to avoid sinning, in truth, we can never be free of short comings. But when realization strikes, one should be quick to turn towards Allah in repentance.
Allah says in the Quran:
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful
It is always advisable to call unto the beautiful names of Allah when beseeching His forgiveness. Allah has attributed to Himself more than one name associated with forgiveness:
- Al-Ghafir – the One who has the capacity to forgive
- Al-Ghaffar – the One who forgives repeatedly
- Al-Ghafoor – the One whose forgiveness encompasses everything
- At-Tawwab – the Ever pardoning; the relenting
- Al-Afuww – the pardoner of sins
Is there a specific time for repentance?
Dua for forgiveness should not be confined to instances when one realizes that they have sinned. A Muslim’s tongue be moist with the plea for forgiveness, as there may be times when we may have sinned without realization. It is also important for a Muslim to realize that Allah loves when His slaves turn to Him in repentance, regardless of how much they have sinned.
Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Were you not to commit sins, Allah would create people who would commit sins and ask for forgiveness and He would forgive them”.
[Muslim].
Even the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would frequently seek Allah’s forgiveness, and he was free of sin – so shouldn’t we all?
Duas for Forgiveness from the Quran
Dua for forgiveness 1
رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأبْرَارِ
Rabbanaa faghfir lana dhunoobana wa kaffir ‘anna sayyiaatinaa wa tawaffanaa ma ‘al abraar.
“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die among the righteous.” [Surah Al-Imran 03:193]
Dua for forgiveness 2
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Rabbana thalamnaa anfusanaa wa illam taghfir lanaa wa tarhamnaa lanakoonunna meen-al khasireen
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”[Surah Al-A’raf 07:23]
Dua for forgiveness 3
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Rabbana aghfirlanaa wali ikhwaanina-llatheena sabaqoonaa bil eemani wala taj’al fee quloobinaa ghilla-lilladheena aamanoo rabbanaa innaka raoofur-Raheem
“Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” [Surah Al-Hashr 59:10]
Dua for forgiveness 4
ربَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Rabbana’-firlana thunoobana wa israfana fee amrina wa thabbit aqdaamana wansurna alal qawmil kafireen
“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and the excess [committed] in our affairs and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [Surah Al-Imran 03:147]
Dua for forgiveness 5
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanaaa innanaa aamannaa faghfir-lanaa dhunoobanaa wa-qinaa ‘adhaaban-naar
“Our Lord! We have believed, so forgive our sins and protect us from the torment of the fire.” [Surah Al-Imran 03:16]
Dua for forgiveness 6
لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِي
La ilaha illa anta subhaanaka inni kuntu minadh-dhalimin
“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” [Surah Al-Anbiyah 21:87]
Duas for Forgiveness from Hadeeth
Dua for forgiveness 7
أَسْـتَـغْـفِـرُ اللهَ وَ أَ تُـوبُ إِ لَـْيهِ
AstaghfirUllah Wa Atoobu Ilayhi
I seek forgiveness to Allah and repent towards Him [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Dua for forgiveness 8
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
Allahumma-aghfirlee dhanbi kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa awwalahu wa akhirahu, wa ‘ala niyyatahu wa sirrahu
“O Allah! Forgive all my sins, the small and the great, first and the last, the open and the secret.” [Muslim]
Dua for forgiveness 9
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ، وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
AstaghfirUllaha-aladheem al-lladhee la ilaha illa huwal-haiyyul-qayyum, wa atubu ilaih
“I seek the forgiveness of Allah, there is no true God except Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, and I turn to Him in repentance.” [At-Tirmidhi]
Dua for forgiveness 10
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka a’fuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa’fu a’nnee
“O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me.” (This dua is specially recommended for the night of Qadr, but should also be recited regularly otherwise). [At-Tirmidhi]
Dua for forgiveness 11
فَاغْفِرْلِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Faghfirlee fa innahu la ya’firu-dhdhunuba illa anta
“Forgive me, for there is none who may forgive sins but You.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Dua for forgiveness 12
أَعُوذُبِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ
A`udhu bika min sharri ma sana`tu
“I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done.”[Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Dua for forgiveness 13
أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِ
Abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alaiyya wa abu’u laka bidhanbi
“I admit to Your blessings upon me, and I admit to my misdeeds.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
Dua for forgiveness 14 – Sayyidul Istighfar
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana `Abduka, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma-stata’tu, a`udhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alaiya wa abu’u laka bidhanbi, fa’fir lee fa innahu la ya’firu-dhdhunuba illa anta
“O Allah! You are my Rabb. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favors that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
This dua, known as Sayyidul Istighfar, is the most superior dua for forgiveness. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said, “If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, they will be from the people of paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, they will be from the people of paradise.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
Benefits of seeking forgiveness
Verses in the Quran are numerous about Allah’s promises to those who turn to Him in repentance:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاء عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
“And said, ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a perpetual forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers. And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.” [Surah An-Nuh 07:10-12]
As is mentioned in the verses above when one turns to Allah in repentance in sincerity, not only does Allah forgive them, Allah also increases them in Rizq (sustenance).
وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاء عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلاَ تَتَوَلَّوْاْ مُجْرِمِينَ
“And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals.” [Surah Al-Hud 11:52]
وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُواْ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنِّيَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ
“And seek your Lord’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. He will grant you a good provision for an appointed term and graciously reward the doers of good. But if you turn away, then I truly fear for you the torment of a formidable Day” [Surah Al-Hud 11:03]
وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
“But Allah would never punish them while you O Prophet were in their midst. Nor would He ever punish them if they prayed for forgiveness.” [Surah Al-Anfal 08:33]
إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
Surely Allah loves those who always turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves [Surah Al-Baqarah 02:222]
It is important that we seek repentance with strong conviction and belief that Allah will forgive us. May Allah make us among those that are pardoned and blessed before we depart for the hereafter. The doors of forgiveness are wide open until the moment of death is upon us.
Let us make Isthighfar a daily habit and pave our way to the gardens of paradise, InShaaAllah.
