Seeking Forgiveness

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka

“O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant.”

The Sayyidul Istighfar — the master supplication for forgiveness. Best recited morning and evening.

اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allaahumma anta rabbee laa ilaaha illaa anta, khalaqtanee wa-ana ‘abduka, wa-ana ‘alaa ‘ahdika wawa‘dika mas-tata‘tu, a‘oothu bika min sharri maa sana‘tu, aboo-o laka bini‘matika ‘alayya, wa-aboo-o bithanbee, faghfir lee fa-innahu laa yaghfirudh dhunooba illaa anta

“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

astaghfir-ullaah

“I seek Allah’s forgiveness.”

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْهِ

astaghfir-ullaaha wa atuwb 'iilayhi

“I seek forgiveness of God and repent to him.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite more than seventy times a day:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ (الْغَفُوْرُ)

Rabbighfirli Watub Alayya Innaka Antat-Tawwabul- rahim [in another narration there is al-Ghaffur instead of al-Rahim]

“Lord, forgive me and repent for me, for you are The Most Merciful The Acceptor of Repentance. In another narration there is "The Forgiver" instead of "The Acceptor of Repentance"”

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (RA): We counted that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say this dua a hundred times during a meeting -

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِيْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirulla-hal adhemal-ladhee laa ilaaha illaa huwal hayyul qayyoomu wa atoobu ilayhi

“I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy of worship except Him, the Living, the Eternal, and I repent to Him. Allah would forgive him even if he was one who fled during the advance of an army." [1] He (ﷺ) 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." [2] He (ﷺ) also said: "The nearest a servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so supplicate much therein." [3] He (ﷺ) also said: "Verily my heart becomes preoccupied, and verily I seek Allah"s forgiveness a hundred times a day." [4]”

The Prophet (ﷺ) added: The person who says:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ

Laa ilaha illallaahul halimul karim, laa ilaaha illallaahul ‘aliyyul ‘azim, subhaanallaahi rabbis samawaatis sab’i wa rabbil ‘arshil ‘azim, alhamdu lillaahi rabbil ‘aalamin

“There is no true God but Allah the Most Patient, the Most Honorable. There is no true God but Allah the Most Exalted, the Most High. I am proclaiming the holiness of the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the glorious throne. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. ‘Narrated from Ali bin Abi Talib (RA), will I not teach you some sentences which if you say you will be forgiven even though you are forgiven (He then told the above sentences)”

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ جِدِّيْ وَهَزْلِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ وَكُلُّ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدِيْ

Allahumm-aghfir li jiddi wa hazli, wa khata'i wa 'amdi, wa kullu dhalika 'indi.

“O Allah, forgive me all the sins I have committed knowingly, the mistakes I have made with laughter, the mistakes I have made willingly, the mistakes I have made reluctantly.”

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ

Allahummagfirli zunubi wa khatayi wa ‘amadi

“O Allah, forgive my (all) sins. Even unintentional sins, even sins committed willingly.”

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾ أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ ﴿١٣٦﴾

Rabbanaa laa tuzigh quloobanaa ba'da iz hadaitanaa wa hab lanaa mil-ladunka rahmah; innaka Antal-Wahhaab.

“(135) And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah ? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (136) Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers. (Sura Ali Imran 3:135-136)”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اَللَّهُ بِأَنَّكَ الْوَاحِدُ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوْبِيْ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Allaahumma inni as'aluka yaa Allahu! Bi'annakal-Waahidul-'Ahadus-Samadul-ladhi lam yalid wa lam yoolad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan 'Ahad, 'an taghfirali dhunubi, 'innaka 'Antal-Ghafoorur-Raheem

“O Allah, I ask of You, O Allah, as You are the One, the Only, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is None equal or comparable to Him, forgive me my sins, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Listening to his prayers, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "He has been forgiven," three times.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the fajr prayer, after he said the Salam, he would say:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيْعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ

Allaahumma inni as'aluka bi-anna lakal-hamdu, laa ilaaha illaa antal-mannaanu badi'us-samawaati wal-ardi, yaa dhal-jalaali wal-ikram! Yaa ‘hayyu yaa qayyum! Inni as'aluka

“O Allah, indeed I ask You since all praise is due to You, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Bestower, the Creator of the heavens and earth, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O Ever-living, O-Eternal, I am asking to You. It was narrated that Anas bin Malik (RA) said: "I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a man was standing and praying. When he bowed, prostrated and recited the tashahhud, he supplicated, and in his supplication he said: (The dua is mentioned above) Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They said: "Allah (SWT) and His Messenger know best. He (ﷺ) said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he called upon Allah by His greatest Name, which, if He is called by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives.'”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَّنْتَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ اَلَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Allaahumma 'innee 'as'aluka bi'anni 'ash-hadu 'annaka 'AntAllahu laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Antal-'Ahadus-Samadul-ladhi lam yalid wa lam yoolad wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan 'Ahad

“O Allah, I ask You, by the fact that I bear witness that You are Allah. There is none worthy of worship but You, the Only God, Independent of creation, Who was not begotten and begets not, and none is equal to Him. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul! You have supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when asked with this name He gives, and when supplicated by this name he answers.”

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard a man saying:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Laa 'ilaaha 'illAllahu wAllahu 'Akbar, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllahu wahdahu, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllahu lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllahu wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata 'illaa billaah

“There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Allah is the Most Great. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, His is the dominion and His is the praise. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, there is no power and no might but by Allah. Abu Saeed Khudri (RA) and Abu Hurairah (RA) said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that when a servant says these words, Allah responds to him and if someone says these words while he is ill and then dies, the fire will not touch him.”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ

Allaahumma 'innee 'as'alukal-'afwa wal 'aafiyah fid-dunyaa wal 'aakhirah

“O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in this world and in the Hereafter.”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allaahumma innaka `Afuwwun Karimun, tuhibbul-`afwa fa`fu `anni

“O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me. Aishah (RA) narrated: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), what is your view if I know when the Night of Al-Qadr is, then what should I say in it?” He (ﷺ) said: ‘Say: (The above dua has been mentioned)”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِيْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ

Allaahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran wa laa yaghfirudh-dhunuba illaa Anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min 'indika warhamni, innaka Antal-Ghafurur-Rahim

“O Allah! I have done great injustice to myself and none except You forgives sins, so bestow on me a forgiveness from You, and Have Mercy on me, You are the Forgiver, the Merciful. Narrated by Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (RA): I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to teach me an invocation so that I may invoke Allah with it in my prayer. He told me to say: (The dua is mentioned above)”

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيْئَتِيْ وَجَهْلِيْ وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِيْ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي جِدِّيْ وَهَزَلِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِيْ اَللَّهُمَ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

Allahumm-aghfir li khati'ati, wa jahli, wa israafi fi amri, wa maa Anta a'lamu bihi minni. Allahumm-aghfir li jiddi wa hazali, wa khata'i wa 'amdi, wa kullu dhalika 'indi. Allahumm-aghfir li maa qaddamtu wa maa akhkhartu, wa maa asrartu, wa maa a'lantu, wa maa Anta a'lamu bihi minni. Antal-Muqaddimu, wa Antal-Mu'akhkhiru; wa Anta 'alaa kulli shai'in Qadir

“O Allah, forgive me my faults, my ignorance, my immoderation in my concerns. And Thou art better aware (of my affairs) than myself. O Allah, grant me forgiveness (of the faults which I committed) seriously or otherwise (and which I committed inadvertently and de- liberately. All these (failings) are in me. O Allah, grant me forgiveness from the fault which I did in haste or deferred, which I committed in privacy or in public and Thou art better aware of (them) than myself. Thou art the First and the Last and over all things Thou art Omnipotent.”

Narrated from Abu Musa Ashari (RA), the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite this dua:

اَللَّهُمَّ طَهِّرْنِيْ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَالْخَطَايَا اَللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِيْ مِنْهَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اَللَّهُمَّ طَهِّرْنِيْ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَالْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ

Allaahumma tahhirni minadh-dhunubi wal-khataayaa. Allaahumma naqqini minhaa kamaa yunaqqath thawbul-abyadu minad-danasi, Allaahumma tahhirni bith-thalji wal-barad wal-maa'i al-baarid

“O Allah, purify me of sin and error, O Allah cleanse me of it as a white garment is cleansed of dirt, O Allah purify me with snow and hail and cold water.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray:

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِيْ وَعَافِنِيْ وَارْزُقْنِيْ

Allaahumma-ghfir li warhamni wa 'aafini warzuqni

“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, keep me safe and sound and grant me provision. And he held up his four fingers apart from the thumb and said: "These will combine your religious and worldly affairs."”

A man had come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he heard him say: "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), what should I say when I ask of Allah?" He (ﷺ) said: "Say:

اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَخْطَأْتُ وَمَا تَعَمَّدْتُ وَمَا عَلِمْتُ وَمَا جَهِلْتُ

Allaahummagfirli maa asrartu wa maa a’alantu wa maa akhtaa’-tu wa maa ta’ammadtu wa maa ‘alimtu wa maa jahiltu

“O Allah, grant me forgiveness from the fault which I committed in privacy or in public, which I mistakenly did, which I did deliberately, which I did knowingly and which I did unknowingly.”

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِيْ وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِيْ، وَمَالِيْ، اَللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِيْ، وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِيْ، اَللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِيْنِيْ وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ وَأَعُوْذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ

Allaahumma 'innee 'as'alukal-'afwa wal'aafiyata fid-dunyaa wal'aakhirah, Allaahumma 'innee 'as'alukal-'afwa wal'aafiyata fee deenee wa dunyaaya wa 'ahlee, wa maalee, Allahum-mastur 'awraatee, wa 'aamin raw'aatee, Allahum-mahfadhnee mim bayni yadayya, wa min khalfee, wa 'an yameenee, wa 'an shimaalee, wa min fawqee, wa 'A'oodhu bi'adhamatika 'an 'ughtaala min tahtee.

“O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in this life and the next. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth. O Allah, veil my weaknesses and set at ease my dismay. O Allah, preserve me from the front and from behind and on my right and on my left and from above, and I take refuge with You lest I be swallowed up by the earth. Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) Said that, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) never forget to utter these supplications in the evening and in the morning.”

In the morning (evening) say,

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿١٢٧﴾ رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٢٨﴾

Rabbi laa tazarnee fardan wa Anta Khairul-waaritheen.

“(127) Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.(128) Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.”

رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي

Rabbi innee limaaa anzalta ilaiya min khairin faqeer.

“My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me”

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ ﴿٤٠﴾ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ ﴿٤١﴾

Innee 'uztu bi-Rabbee wa Rabbikum-min kulli mutakabbiril-laa yu'minu bi-Yawmil-Hisaab.

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

رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى

Rabbigh-fir lee.

“My Lord, forgive me”

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

Rabbanaa waj'alnaa muslimaini laka wa min zurriyyatinaa ummatan muslimatal-laka wa arinaa manaasikanaa wa tub 'alainaa innaka Antat-Tawwaabur-Raheem.

“Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (will); and show us our place for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful”

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

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.'”

رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Rabbigh-fir warham wa Anta Khairur-Raahimeen.

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

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِأَخِي وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِي رَحْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

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.”

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

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 اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Rabbanagh-fir lanaa zunoobanaa wa israafanaa feee amrinaa wa thabbit 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.”

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbanaa zalamnaaa anfusanaa wa il-lam 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.”

رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbi innee a'oozu bika an as'alaka maa laisa lee bihee 'ilm; 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.”

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Rabbanagh-fir lanaa wa li-ikhwaaninallazeena sabaqoonaa bil-eemaani wa laa taj'al fee quloobinaa ghillal-lillazeena aamanoo Rabbanaaa 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.”

رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًا

Rabbigh-fir lee wa liwaalidayya wa liman dakhala baitiya mu'minan wa lil-mu'mineena wal-mu'minaat; wa laa tazidiz-zaalimeena illaa tabaaraa.

“My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house as a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.”

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ ﴿٤٠﴾ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ ﴿٤١﴾

Rabbij-'alnee muqeemas-Salaati wa min zurriyyatee Rabbanaa wa taqabbal du'aaa'. Rabbanagh-fir lee wa liwaalidayya wa lil-mu'mineena Yawma yaqoomul-hisaab.

“My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication.(40) Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.(41)”

سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

Sami'naa wa ata'naa ghufraanaka Rabbanaa wa ilaikal-maseer.

“We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.”

اِسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا

Istaghfiroo Rabbakum innahoo kaana Ghaffaaraa.

“Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;”

Allah says:

وَتُوبُوٓا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

Wa toobooo ilallaahi jamee'an ayyuhal-mu'minoona la'allakum tuflihoon.

“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”

Allah says:

يٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا تُوبُوٓا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا

Yaaa ayyuhal-lazeena aamanoo toobooo ilallaahi tawbatan nasoohaa.

“O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance.”

Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلٰى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

Wallazeena izaa fa'aloo faahishatan aw zalamooo anfusahum zakarullaaha fastaghfaroo lizunoobihim wa man yaghfiruz-zunooba illallaahu wa lam yusirroo 'alaa maa fa'aloo wa hum ya'lamoon.

“And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.”

Allah says:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullah alladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyumu wa atoobu ilayh.

“I seek the forgiveness of Allah, besides whom none has the right to be worshipped, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all, and I turn to Him in repentance.”

A short, complete istighfar for daily use — the Prophet ﷺ said this or similar over seventy times a day.

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا 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 لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduk, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata't. A'udhu bika min sharri ma sana't. Aboo'u laka bini'matika 'alayy, wa aboo'u bidhanbi, faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunooba 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 am faithful to my covenant and promise to You as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me — for none forgives sins except You.”

Sayyid al-Istighfar — the master of ways to seek forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ said whoever says it during the day with firm conviction and dies that day is among the people of Paradise, and the same for the night.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي هَزْلِي وَجِدِّي وَخَطَايَايَ وَعَمْدِي وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي

Allahummaghfir li khati'ati wa jahli, wa israafi fi amri, wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni. Allahummaghfir li hazli wa jiddi, wa khataaya wa 'amdi, wa kullu dhalika 'indi.

“O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my ignorance, and my going beyond bounds in my affairs, and what You know better than I do about myself. O Allah, forgive what I said in jest and in earnest, my errors and my intentional wrongs — all of that is within me.”

A fuller istighfar, for the mistakes made carelessly and the ones made knowingly, together.