So know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin1 and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.
رياض الصالحينAbū Zakariyyā Muḥyī al-Dīn Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf al-Nawawī٣٧١ - باب الأمر بالاستغفار وفضله
٣٧١ - باب الأمر بالاستغفار وفضله
And seek forgiveness of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
And He, exalted is He, says:
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابًۢا
Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of Repentance.1
ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Those who consume interest1 cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allāh. But whoever returns [to dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
إلَى قَولِهِ - ﷿:
up to His word, Mighty and Majestic:
۞ قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَٰلِكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ
Say, "Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allāh will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allāh. And Allāh is Seeing [i.e., aware] of [His] servants -
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allāh will find Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
But Allāh would not punish them while you, [O Muḥammad], are among them, and Allāh would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allāh and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allāh? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.
والآيات في الباب كثيرة معلومة.
The verses on this subject are many and well known.
وعن الأَغَرِّ المزني - ﵁: أنَّ رسُول اللهِ - ﷺ - قال: «إنَّهُ لَيُغَانُ عَلَى قَلْبِي، وإنِّي لأَسْتَغفِرُ اللهَ في اليَوْمِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ». رواه مسلم.
Al-Agharr al-Muzanī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed [a kind of forgetfulness] comes over my heart, and I seek forgiveness of Allah a hundred times a day." Narrated by Muslim.
وعن أبي هريرة - ﵁ - قال: سَمعتُ رَسُول اللهِ - ﷺ - يقولُ: «وَاللهِ إنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأتُوبُ إلَيْهِ فِي اليَومِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً». رواه البخاري.
Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "By Allah, I seek forgiveness of Allah and turn in repentance to Him more than seventy times a day." Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
وعنه - ﵁ - قال: قال رسولُ اللهِ - ﷺ: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُذْنِبُوا، لَذَهَبَ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِكُمْ، وَلَجَاءَ بِقَومٍ يُذْنِبُونَ، فَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللهَ تَعَالَى، فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ». رواه مسلم.
He also (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in whose hand is my soul, were you not to sin, Allah, exalted is He, would take you away and bring a people who sin and then seek forgiveness of Allah, exalted is He, and He would forgive them." Narrated by Muslim.
وعن ابن عمر ﵄، قال: كُنَّا نَعُدُّ لرسولِ اللهِ - ﷺ - في المَجْلِسِ الواحِدِ مئَةَ مَرَّةٍ: . رواه أبو داود والترمذي، وقال: «حديث حسن صحيح غريب».
Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: We used to count for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in a single gathering a hundred times [his saying of seeking forgiveness]. Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī, who said: "A good, sound, rare ḥadīth." [review: source omits the istighfār formula text]
وعن ابن عباس ﵄، قال: قال رسولُ اللهِ - ﷺ: «مَنْ لَزِمَ الاسْتِغْفَارَ جَعَلَ اللهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا، وَمِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا، وَرَزَقهُ مِنْ حَيثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ». رواه أبو داود.
Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever holds fast to seeking forgiveness, Allah will make for him a way out of every distress and relief from every worry, and will provide for him from where he does not reckon." Narrated by Abū Dāwūd.
وعن ابن مسعود - ﵁ - قال: قال رسول الله - ﷺ: «مَنْ قَالَ:، غُفِرَتْ ذُنُوبُهُ، وإِنْ كانَ قَدْ فَرَّ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ». رواه أبو داود والترمذي والحاكم، وقال: «حديث صحيح على شرط البخاري ومسلم».
Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever says [the words of seeking forgiveness], his sins are forgiven, even if he had fled from the battle." Narrated by Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Ḥākim, who said: "A sound ḥadīth according to the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim." [review: source omits the istighfār formula text]
وعن شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوسٍ - ﵁ - عن النبيّ - ﷺ - قال: «سَيِّدُ الاسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ يَقُولَ العَبْدُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إلهَ إلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ. مَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوقِنًا بِهَا، فَمَاتَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُمْسِي، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، وَهُوَ مُوقِنٌ بِهَا، فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أهْلِ الجَنَّةِ». رواه البخاري. «أبوءُ» بباءٍ مَضمومةٍ ثم واوٍ وهمزة ممدودة ومعناه: أقِرُّ وَأعْتَرِفُ.
Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "The master of [formulas of] seeking forgiveness is that the servant says: O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I keep Your covenant and Your promise as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done; I acknowledge to You Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You. Whoever says it in the daytime with certainty in it, then dies that day before reaching evening, is among the people of Paradise; and whoever says it at night, certain of it, then dies before reaching morning, is among the people of Paradise." Narrated by al-Bukhārī. "Abūʾu" — with a bāʾ vowelled with ḍammah, then a wāw and a lengthened hamzah — its meaning is: I affirm and I confess.
وعن ثوبان - ﵁ - قال: كانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ - ﷺ - إذَا انْصَرَفَ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ، اسْتَغْفَرَ اللهَ ثَلاَثًا وَقَالَ: . قيلَ لِلأوْزَاعِيِّ - وَهُوَ أَحَدُ رُوَاتِهِ: كَيفَ الاسْتِغْفَارُ؟ قال: يقُولُ:. رواه مسلم.
Thawbān (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, he would seek forgiveness of Allah three times and say [a supplication]. It was said to al-Awzāʿī — who is one of its narrators: How is the seeking of forgiveness [worded]? He said: He says [the words of istighfār]. Narrated by Muslim. [review: source omits the istighfār formula text]
وعن عائشة ﵂، قالت: كان رَسُولُ اللهِ - ﷺ - يُكْثِرُ أَنْ يَقُولَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ: متفق عليه.
ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would frequently say before his death [a supplication of glorification and seeking forgiveness]. Agreed upon. [review: source omits the istighfār formula text]
وعن أنس - ﵁ - قال: سمعتُ رسولَ اللهِ - ﷺ - يقولُ: «قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، إنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتَنِي وَرَجَوْتَنِي غَفَرْتُ لكَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْكَ وَلاَ أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُكَ عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتَنِي، غَفَرْتُ لَكَ وَلاَ أُبَالِي، يا ابْنَ آدَمَ، إنَّكَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الأَرْضِ خَطَايَا، ثُمَّ لَقِيتَنِي لا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا، لأَتَيْتُكَ بِقُرابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً». رواه الترمذي، وقال: «حديث حسن». «عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ» بفتح العين: قِيلَ هُوَ السَّحَابُ، وَقِيلَ: هُوَ مَا عَنَّ لَكَ مِنْهَا، أيْ ظَهَرَ. «وَقُرَابُ الأرْضِ» بضم القاف، ورُوي بكسرِها، والضم أشهر. وَهُوَ ما يُقَارِبُ مِلأَها.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Allah, exalted is He, says: O son of Ādam, as long as you call upon Me and hope in Me, I forgive you for whatever has come from you, and I do not mind. O son of Ādam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought My forgiveness, I would forgive you, and I would not mind. O son of Ādam, were you to come to Me with nearly the fill of the earth in sins, then meet Me associating nothing with Me, I would come to you with nearly its fill in forgiveness." Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who said: "A good ḥadīth." "ʿAnāna al-samāʾ" — with a fatḥah on the ʿayn: it is said it means the clouds, and it is said it is whatever of it appears to you, that is, becomes visible. "Qurāb al-arḍ" — with a ḍammah on the qāf, and it is also narrated with a kasrah, but the ḍammah is more well-known; it means what nearly approaches filling it.
وعن ابن عمر ﵄: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - قال: «يا مَعْشَرَ النِّسَاءِ تَصَدَّقْنَ، وأكْثِرْنَ مِنَ الاسْتِغْفَارِ؛ فَإنِّي رَأَيْتُكُنَّ أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ» قالت امرأةٌ مِنْهُنَّ: مَا لَنَا أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ؟ قَالَ: «تُكْثِرْنَ اللَّعْنَ ، وَتَكْفُرْنَ العَشِيرَ ، مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ نَاقِصَاتِ عَقْلٍ وَدِينٍ أغْلَبَ لِذِي لُبٍّ مِنْكُنَّ» قالت: ما نُقْصَانُ العَقْلِ وَالدِّينِ؟ قال: «شَهَادَةُ امْرَأتَيْنِ بِشَهَادَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَتَمْكُثُ الأَيَّامَ لاَ تُصَلِّي». رواه مسلم.
Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O company of women, give charity and do much seeking of forgiveness, for I have seen you to be the majority of the people of the Fire." A woman among them said: Why are we the majority of the people of the Fire? He said: "You curse much and are ungrateful to the husband. I have not seen any, among those deficient in intellect and religion, more overpowering to a man of sense than you." She said: What is the deficiency of intellect and religion? He said: "The testimony of two women equals the testimony of one man, and she remains for days not praying." Narrated by Muslim.