Istighfar

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Expressions Jalla Jalaluhu جل جلاله Subḥānahu ūta'āla سبحانه و تعالى Azza ū jal عز و جل
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Istighfar (Arabic: استغفار‎ istiġfār), also Astaghfirullah or astagfirullah (Arabic: أستغفر الله‎ ʾastaġfiru l-lāh) is the act of seeking forgiveness from God. This act is generally done by repeating the Arabic words astaghfirullah, meaning "I seek forgiveness from Allah". It is considered one of the essential parts of worship in Islam.

A Muslim will use this phrase often, even in conversation with another person. When a Muslim abstains from doing wrong (such as experiencing envy, jealousy, pride, and haughtiness) or even wishes to prove their innocence in an incident, they will use this expression. After every salat (prayer), a Muslim will typically recite the phrase three or more times. Arabic-speaking non-Muslims such as Arab Christians sometimes also employ the phrase.^{[citation needed]}

Invocations for Forgiveness

• Arabic: رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‎

• Arabic: سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‎

• Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أسْألُكَ يَا اللَّهُ بِأنَّكَ الْوَاحِدُ الأحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أحَدٌ، أنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إنَّكَ أنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الَّرحِيمُ‎ Allāhumma inn-ī ʾasʾalu-ka yā llāhu bi-ʾanna-ka l-Wāḥidu l-ʾAḥadu ṣ-Ṣamadu l-laḏī lam yalid wa-lam yūlad wa-lam yakun la-hu kufuwan ʾaḥadun, an taghfira lī ḏunūb-ī ʾinna-ka ʾAnta l-Ġafūru r-Raḥīmu O Allah! I ask You, O Allah, You are the One, the Only, Self Sufficient Master, who was not begotten and begets not and none is equal to Him. Forgive me my sins, surely you are Forgiving, Merciful.

  — Sunan an-Nasa'i, The Book of Forgetfulness in Prayer, Hadis no.123 ^[3]

• Arabic: اللهم اغفر لي، وارحمني، واهدني، وعافني، وارزقني‎ Allāhumma ġfir lī, wa-rḥam-nī, wa-hdi-nī, wa ʿāfi-nī, wa-rzuq-nī O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, guard me against harm and provide me with sustenance and salvation.

  — Riyadh as-Saaliheen, The Book of Du'a (Supplications), Hadis no.5 ^[4]

Sayyidul Istighfar (The Chief Prayer for Repentance)

Reported on the authority of Shaddad ibn aws, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “Sayyidul Istighfar is:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرٍّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِر لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ Allāhumma ʾanta rabb-ī lā ʾilāha ʾillā ʾanta, ḫalaqta-nī wa-ʾanā ʿabdu-ka, wa-ʾanā ʿalā ʿahdi-ka wa-waʿdi-ka ma staṭaʿtu, ʾaʿūḏu bi-ka min šarrin mā ṣanaʿtu, ʾabūʾu la-ka bi-naʿmati-ka ʿalayya wa-ʾabūʾu bi-ḏanb-ī fa-ġfir lī fa-ʾinna-hu lā yaġfiru ḏ-ḏunūba ʾillā ʾanta

‘O Allaah, You are my Lord, there is no God but You, You created me and I am your servant and I abide to your covenant and promise as best as I can, I take refuge in you from the evil of which I committed. I acknowledge your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily no one can forgive sin except you.’

Then Muhammad continued "If person recites this during the day with strong faith in it and dies on the same day before the sunset, he will be among the people of Paradise and if somebody recites it at night with strong faith in it and dies before sunrise he will be among the people of Paradise."

References

See also

• Kyrie eleison, a similar Christian liturgical expression