Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar)

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta rabbee la ilaha illa ant, khalaqtanee wa-ana ʿabduk, wa-ana ʿala ʿahdika wawaʿdika mas-tataʿt, aʿoothu bika min sharri ma sanaʿt, aboo-o laka biniʿmatika ʿalay, wa-aboo-o bithanbee, faghfir lee fa-innahu la yaghfiruth-thunooba illa ant.

O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am Your servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I have committed. I acknowledge Your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You.

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ القَيّوُمُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيهِ

Astaghfirul-lahal-ʿatheemal-lathee la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyoomu wa-atoobu ilayh.

I seek Allah’s forgiveness, The Supreme, besides whom, none has the right to be worshipped except He, The Ever Living, The Self-Subsisting and Supporter of all, and I turn to Him in repentance.

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullaaha wa 'atoobu 'ilayhi

I seek Allah’s forgiveness and I turn to Him in repentance.

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ

Astaghfirul-lah

I ask Allah for forgiveness.

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الغَفُورُ

Rabbigh-fir lee watub ʿalay, innaka antat-tawwabul-ghafoor.

O my Lord, forgive me and turn towards me (to accept my repentance). Verily You are The Oft-Returning. The Oft-Forgiving.

Ibn ʿUmar said: It would be counted that the Messenger of Allah would say one hundred times at any one sitting before getting up.

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Subhanakal-lahumma wabihamdik, ashhadu an la ilaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa-atoobu ilayk.

How perfect You are O Allah, and I praise You. I bear witness that None has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْماً كَثِيراً، وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الغَفورُ الرَّحيمُ

Allahumma innee thalamtu nafsee thulman katheeran wala yaghfiruth-thunooba illa ant, faghfir lee maghfiratan min ʿindik warhamnee, innaka antal-Ghafoorur-Raheem.

O Allah, I have indeed oppressed my soul excessively and none can forgive sin except You, so forgive me a forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy upon me. Surely, You are The Most-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful.

From Yourself: i.e. from Your innermost grace without deserving it and a forgiveness which is befitting to your tremendous generosity.

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّالِمِينَ

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu minath-thalimeen.

None has the right to be worshipped except You. How perfect You are, verily I was among the wrong-doers.

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

Rabbanaa zalamnaaa anfusanaa wa illam taghfir lanaa wa tarhamnaa lanakoonanna minal khaasireen

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.

لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Laaa ilaaha illaaa Anta Subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz zaalimeen

There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.

رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى

Rabbi innee zalamtu nafsee faghfir lee

My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me.

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Rabbanagh fir lanaa zunoobanaa wa israafanaa feee amirnaa wa sabbit aqdaamanaa wansurnaa 'alal qawmil kaafireen

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.

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

Rabbanaaa innanaaa aamannaa faghfir lanaa zunoobanaa wa qinaa 'azaaban Naar

Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Rabbanaa la tu'aakhiznaa in naseenaaa aw akhtaanaa; Rabbanaa wa laa tahmil-'alainaaa isran kamaa hamaltahoo 'alal-lazeena min qablinaa; Rabbanaa wa laa tuhammilnaa maa laa taaqata lanaa bih wa'fu 'annaa waghfir lanaa warhamnaa; Anta mawlaanaa fansurnaa 'alal qawmil kaafireen

Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.

مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يُذنِبُ ذَنْباً فَيُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ، ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ إِلاَّ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ

Any servant who commits a sin and as a result, performs ablution, prays two units of prayer (i.e. two rakʿas) and then seeks Allah’s forgiveness, Allah would forgive him.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَسْتَغفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةٍ»

The Messenger of Allah said: ‘By Allah, I seek forgiveness and repent to Allah, more than seventy times a day.

وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي أَتُوبُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَيْهِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ»

He also said: ‘O People, Repent! Verily I repent to Allah, a hundred times a day.

وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِمَّنْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ فَكُنْ»

He said: ‘The nearest the Lord comes to His servant is in the middle of the night, so if you are able to be of those who remember Allah at that time, then be so.

وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ»

He also said: ‘The nearest a servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so supplicate much therein.

وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّهُ لَيُغَانُ عَلَى قَلْبِي وَإِنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ فِي الْيَوْمِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ»

He also said: ‘verily my heart becomes preoccupied, and verily I seek Allah’s forgiveness a hundred times a day.

Preoccupied: i.e. in a state of ‘forgetfulness’. The Prophet always used to increase in his remembrance of his Lord, in attaining a nearness to Allah and having consciousness of Allah to the extent that if this intensity lessened in anyway, he would regard it as a sin and would then race to seek forgiveness from Allah.

رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًۭا يُنَادِى لِلْإِيمَٰنِ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَـَٔامَنَّا ۚ رَبَّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ

Rabbanaaa innanaa sami'naa munaadiyai yunaadee lil eemaani an aaminoo bi Rabbikum fa aamannaa; Rabbanaa faghfir lanaa zunoobanaa wa kaffir 'annaa saiyi aatina wa tawaffanaa ma'al abraar

Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ

Rabbanagh fir lee wa liwaalidaiya wa lilmu'mineena Yawma yaqoomul hisaab

Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.

رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

Rabbanaaa aamannaa faghfir lanaa warhamnaa wa Anta khairur raahimeen

Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful.

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّۭا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ

Rabbanagh fir lanaa wa li ikhwaani nal lazeena sabqoonaa bil eemaani wa laa taj'al fee quloobinaa ghillalil lazeena aamanoo rabbannaaa innaka Ra'oofur 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.

رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

Rabbanaaa atmim lanaa nooranaa waghfir lana innaka 'alaa kulli shai'in qadeer

Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.

رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِأَخِى وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِى رَحْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

Rabbigh fir lee wa li akhee wa adkhilnaa fee rahmatika wa Anta arhamur raahimeen

My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the most merciful of the merciful.

أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْغَٰفِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ﴿١٥٦﴾

Anta waliyyunaa faghfir lanaa warhamnaa wa Anta khairul ghaafireen Waktub lanaa fee haazihid dunyaa hasanatanw wa fil Aakhirati innaa hudnaaa ilaik

You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers. And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You.

رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

Rabbi inneee a'oozu bika an as'alaka maa laisa lee bihee 'ilmunw wa illaa taghfir lee wa tarhamneee akum minal khaasireen

My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers.

رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

Rabbigh fir warham wa Anta khairur raahimeen

My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and You are the best of the merciful.

رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَهَبْ لِى مُلْكًۭا لَّا يَنۢبَغِى لِأَحَدٍۢ مِّنۢ بَعْدِىٓ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ

Rabbigh fir lee wa hab lee mulkal laa yambaghee li ahadim mim ba'dee innaka Antal Wahhab

My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.

رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِنًۭا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ

Rabbigh fir lee wa liwaalidaiya wa liman dakhala baitiya mu'minanw wa lil mu'mineena wal mu'minaati

My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women.