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The Merit of Seeking Forgiveness
ISTIGHFĀR
God, Great and Glorious is He, says: ‘Those who, when they have committed an indecency or wronged themselves, remember God and seek forgiveness for their sins …’ [Āl ‘Imrān, 3:135]
According to ‘Alqama and al-Aswad, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd said: ‘In the Book of God, Great and Glorious is He, there are two Verses. If a servant recites them after committing a sin, and if he seeks God’s forgiveness, God will forgive him. They are:
“Those who, when they have committed an indecency or wronged themselves …” [Āl Imrān, 3:135]
(Wa-lladhīna idhā fa’alū fāḥishatan aw ẓalamū anfusahum.)
and:
“He who does evil or wrongs himself, but then seeks forgiveness of God, will find God Forgiving, Compassionate.”’ [al-Nisā’, 4:110]
(Wa-man ya’mal sū’an aw yaẓlim nafsahū thumma yastaghfiri-llāha yajidi-llāha ghafūrun raḥīmā.)
God, Great and Glorious is He, says: ‘Celebrate the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Surely He is Ever-relenting.’ [al-Naṣr, 110:3]
The Exalted One also says: ‘Those who seek forgiveness in the early morning hours …’ [Āl ‘Imrān, 3:17]
God’s Messenger, on him be peace, would often say: ‘O God, to You be all glory and praise! O God, forgive me. Surely You are the
Ever-relenting and Compassionate One.’
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Other sayings of the Prophet, on him be peace:
‘To one who often seeks His forgiveness, God, Great and Glorious is He, grants relief from all troubles, a way out of all distress, and sustenance beyond his expectation.’
2
‘I seek forgiveness of God, Exalted is He, and turn to Him in repentance seventy times a day.’
3 (Even though his past and future sins had been forgiven!)
‘My heart becomes clouded unless I seek forgiveness of God, Exalted is He, one hundred times a day.’
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‘Though your sins be as many as the flecks of foam on the sea, the grains of sand in the desert, the leaves on the trees or the days of the world, God will forgive them if you say three times at bedtime: “I seek forgiveness of the One Almighty God, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting, and I repent to Him.”’
5 (According to another Tradition, this will obtain forgiveness ‘even for one who deserts the ranks.’)
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Ḥudhayfa said: ‘I used to speak harshly to my family, so I said to God’s Messenger, on him be peace: “O Messenger of God, I fear that my tongue may lead me to Hell.” The blessed Prophet replied: “How about seeking forgiveness? I beg God’s forgiveness a hundred times each day.”’
‘Ā’isha, may God be pleased with her, said: ‘God’s Messenger, on him be peace, said to me: “If you have committed a sin, seek forgiveness of God and repent to Him. Repentance of sin means feeling remorse and seeking forgiveness.”’
God’s Messenger, on him be peace, used to seek forgiveness with this Prayer: ‘O God, forgive me my mistakes, my ignorance, my extravagance and what You know better than I. O God, forgive me my frivolity and my over-earnestness, my faults and wrong intentions and all my shortcomings. O God, forgive me what I have done in the past and what I shall do in the future, what I have done in secret and what I have done in public, and what You know better than I. You are the Advancer and the Delayer and over all things You have power.’
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‘Alī, may God be pleased with him, said: ‘I am the sort of man who would benefit as much as God allowed from hearing a Tradition from God’s Messenger, on him be peace. When one of his Companions told me a Tradition, I would ask him to swear to its authenticity. I would trust him once he had sworn. Abū Bakr, may God be pleased with him, was always truthful. He once told me he had heard God’s Messenger, on him be peace, say: “If someone commits a sin, but then takes a thorough ritual ablution, performs a Prayer of two cycles and seeks forgiveness of God, Great and Glorious is He, his sin will be forgiven.” Then Abū Bakr recited the Verse: “Those who, when they;‘ have committed an indecency or wronged themselves … [Āl ‘Imrān, 3:135]
According to Abū Hurayra, may God be pleased with him, the Prophet, on him be peace, said: ‘When a believer commits a sin, a black spot forms on his heart. If he repents and mends his ways and seeks forgiveness, the spot is purged from his heart. But if he goes on sinning, the spot will grow until it covers his heart all over.’ That is the ‘rust’ which God, Great and Glorious is He, mentions in His Book:
‘No indeed! What they have earned is rust on their hearts.’ [al-Muṭaffifīn, 83:14]
(Kallā bal rāna ‘alā qulūbihim mā kānū yaksibūn.)
According to Abū Hurayra, may God be pleased with him, the Prophet, on him be peace, said: ‘God, Glorified and Exalted is He, will raise His servant to high rank in Paradise and he will say: “My Lord, how have I deserved this?” Then God, Great and Glorious is He, will say: “By virtue of your son’s Prayer for forgiveness on your behalf.”’
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According to ‘Ā’isha, may God be pleased with her, God’s Messenger, on him be peace, said: ‘O God, make me one of those who rejoice when they have done a good deed, and who seek forgiveness when they have done something bad.’
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God’s Messenger, on him be peace, said: ‘When a man commits a sin and says: “O God, forgive me!” God, Great and Glorious is He, says: “My servant has committed a sin, but he knows he has a Lord who takes account of sin and forgives it. O My servant, do what you want, for I have already forgiven you.”’
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Other sayings of the Prophet, on him be peace:
‘A man who seeks forgiveness is not a persistent sinner, even if he lapses seventy times a day.’
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‘A man who has never done a good deed looks heavenwards and says: “Surely I have a Lord. O Lord, forgive me!” and God, Great and Glorious is He, says: “I have already forgiven you.”’
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‘If a man commits a sin, but knows that God sees him, he will receive forgiveness even without asking for it.’
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‘God, Exalted is He, says: “O My servants, you are all sinners except for those I have pardoned. So seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you. I will gladly forgive anyone who knows that I possess the power to forgive him.”’
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‘If a man says: “Glory be to You! I have wronged myself and done something bad, so forgive me, for there is no one to forgive sins but You,” his sins are forgiven, even if they are like a trail of ants.’
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It is related that the best Prayer for forgiveness is this: ‘O God, You are my Lord and I am Your servant. You created me. I am fulfilling my covenant and promise to You as best I can. I take refuge with You from the evil I have perpetrated. I acknowledge You as the source of my blessings, and I acknowledge my own responsibility for my sins. I have wronged myself and I confess my sin, so forgive me my sins – those I have committed in the past and those I shall commit in future. Surely no one forgives all sins but You.’
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Other wise sayings:
Khālid ibn Ma’dan said: ‘God, Great and Glorious is He, says: “Dearest to Me of My servants are those who love one another for love of Me, whose hearts are bound to the Mosque, and who seek forgiveness at the break of day. When I wish to punish the rest of earth’s people, I shall remember them; I shall leave them alone and turn the punishment away from them.”’
Qatāda said: ‘The Quran shows you your sickness and your medicine. Your sickness is sin and your medicine is the Prayer for forgiveness.’
‘Alī, may God ennoble his countenance, said: ‘It puzzles me that a man should perish when he possesses the means to save himself.’ When they asked him to explain, he said: ‘The Prayer for forgiveness!’
He also used to say: ‘God, Glorified and Exalted is he, never inspires a man to seek forgiveness if He intends to punish him.’
Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘When a servant says: “I seek God’s forgiveness,” the meaning of his words is: “Let my sins be few!”’
A certain scholar said: ‘Man is between sin and grace. Nothing can improve matters except praising God and seeking His forgiveness.’
Al-Rabī’ ibn Khaytham said: ‘Beware of saying: “I seek God’s forgiveness and I repent to Him,” for it is a sin and a lie if not acted upon. It is better to say: “O God, forgive me and turn towards me.”’
Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘To seek forgiveness without renunciation is the repentance of liars.’
Rabī’a al-’Adawīya, may God be pleased with her, said: ‘Our Prayer for forgiveness needs many Prayers for forgiveness.’
A wise man said: ‘To seek forgiveness without feeling remorse is to mock God, Great and Glorious is He, without being aware of it.’
A Bedouin was heard to say, as he clung to the covering of the Ka’ba: ‘O God, I seek Your forgiveness, although I shamefully persist in sin. How could I stop begging Your forgiveness, when I know how generously You pardon? What loving kindness You bestow on me, when You have no need of me at all! How often I offend and anger You, although I need You so badly! What a Lord – He fulfils all His promises, yet pardons when he threatens! Take my great sin into Your mighty pardon, O Most Compassionate of the compassionate!’
Abū ‘Abdullāh al-Warrāq said: ‘Though your sins be as numerous as raindrops and the flecks of foam on the sea, they will be wiped away from you, God willing, if you offer this supplication to your Lord in all sincerity: “O God, I beg Your forgiveness for every sin, for I have lapsed again after turning to You in repentance. I seek Your forgiveness for all the promises I have made to You, but failed to carry out. I ask Your forgiveness for every action I intended to do for Your sake alone, but that I mixed with something other than You. I seek Your forgiveness for every blessing You have bestowed on me, but that I used in disobedience of You. O Knower of the invisible and of the visible, I beg Your forgiveness for every sin I have committed by the light of day and in the darkness of night, in public and in solitude, in secret and for all to see. O Benevolent One!”’ Some say this is the Prayer for forgiveness used by the Prophet Adam, on him be peace. According to others, it is the supplication of the Prophet Khidr, on him be peace.