Seeking Forgiveness

/Repentance / Isteghfar
Istighfaar means seeking forgiveness of
Allah for the sins so far committed and
turning repentant unto Allah. Ibn Abbas
relates that the was in the company of
Imam Ali(as) when a man came and said
Mawla, I have transgressed much "Imam
told him: ISTIGHFAAR. Another man came
and said : Mawla my land has become arid
and parched, what shall I do ?. Imam told
him ISTIGHFAR. After a few moments
another came and said Mawla I am poverty
stricken. Nothing I do bearts fruit. Is there
any remedy. Imam said: ISTIGHFAR. Then
another man came and said : Mawla Allah
has not yet blessed me with a child. What
should I do. Imam told him ISTIGHAFAR. I
asked him : O AMIRUL MUMININ - though
the problems were different, but to each of
them you advised to pray ISTIGHFAAR.

Imam said : Because Allah says in surah

Nuh: And I said : seek forgiveness of your
Lord. Verily he is ever most forgiving. He
will send you abundant rain from the
heaven and will help you with wealth and
sons, and will make for you gardens and
will make for your rivers.
Imam Mohammed Taqi Al Jawad (as) :"Touba" depends upon four
things: sincere regrets, verbal "istighfar", deeds and determination
never to repeat the sin.

Isti'adha

book : Seeking Allah's

Protection from Satan by Ayatullah
Sayyid Abd al-Husayn Dastghaib Shirazi
Dua'as by Imam Ali (as)from
Sahifa e Alaviya
Dua'a seeking Pardon 18
His Dua'a seeking forgiveness 19
Dua'a seeking forgiveness 20
Dua'a for seeking forgiveness 21
Dua'a seeking forgiveness 22

Dua'as by Imam Sajjad

(as)from Sahifa e
Kamela

The Whispered Prayer

of the Repenters
His Supplication in
Confession -12
His Supplication in Asking

for Release from Sins 16

His Supplication in
Repentance -31
His Supplication in Asking
Pardon -38
His Supplication in
Seeking Pardon and
Mercy 39

Munajat by Imam Mohammed

Taqi Al Jawad (as) :- True
repentance & Accepting
Repentance
Namaz /Salaat of Isteghfar |
Isteghfar from 'Power of prayers'

Other Duas of Isteghfar :DUA'A 16

O Lord, I have wronged myself. So forgive
me. Verily save You there is no one who
can protect from the consequences of
sinning.
RABBI INNEE Z'ALAMTU NAFSEE
FAGHFIRLEE INNAHOO LAA YAGHFIRUD
'D'UNOOBA ILLA ANTA

DUA'A 17

O Allah, I seek forgiveness for every sin, I

committed, about which, of course, You
know inside and out, from the beginning to
the end of my life, whether committed
deliberately or intentionally, few or many,
abstruse or manifest, old or new, secretly
carried out or openly done; and for
whatever wrong I have done I turn
repentant unto You and beseech You to
bless Muhammad and the children of
Muhammad and forgive all my unjust acts
I did to wrong the people (because they
have rights which I have to recognize and
fulfill) but You have full authority to forgive
those wrongdoings whenever and
howsoever You wish, O the most merciful.
ALLAHUMMA INNEE ASTAGHFIRUKA
LIKULLI D'AMBIN JARAA BIHEE I'LMUKA
FIYYA WA A'LAYYA ILAA AAKHIRI U'MREE
BI-JAMEE-I D'UNOOBEE LI-AWWALIHAA
WA AAKHIRIHAA WA A'MADIHAA WA KHAT
A-IHAA WA QALEELIHAA WA
KATHEERIHAA WA DAQEEQIHAA WA
JALEELIHAA WA QADEEMIHAA WA
H'ADEETHIHAA WA SIRRIHAA WA
A'LAANIYATIHAA WA JAMEE-I MAA ANAA
MUD'NIBUHOO WA ATOOBU ILAYKA WA
AS-ALUKA AN TUS'ALLIYA A'LAA
MUH'AMMADIN WA AALI MUH'AMMADIN

WA AN TAGHFIRA LEE JAMEE-A, MAA

AH'S'AYTU MIM MAZ'AALIMIL I'BAADI
QIBALEE FA-INNA LI-IBAADIKA A'LAYYA
H'UQOOQAN WA ANAA MURTAHINUM
BIHAA TAGHFIRUHAA KAYFA SHI-TA WA
ANNAA SHIA-TA YAA ARH'AMAR
RAAH'IMEEN

DUA'A 18The following istighfar is tekan

from Sahifa Alawiyyah by Imam Ali Ibn Abi
Talib. It can be recited after any obligatory
salat

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for those

wrongdoings for which I had turned
repentant unto you but have done again. I
seek your forgiveness for those deeds
which I planned to do for your sake only
but afterwards other interests not
connected with You crept in, and I seek
Your forgiveness for my taking advantage
of the bounties, You gave me, in order to
disobey You. I seek forgiveness of Allah
(who is) There is no god save He, the
self-subsisting, the knower of the unknown
and known, the beneficent, the merciful.
For all those sins which I have committed
and for all those transgressions I
perpetrated. O Allah grant me perfect
ability to use, follow and apply reason,
astute and keen determination,
preponderant genius, pure heart, allembracing wisdom and beautiful elegent
manners. Let all these favours work for my
good; let them not harm me, through your
mercy, O the most merciful.
Then say 5 times:
I seek forgiveness of Allah who is: There
is no god save He, the self-subsisting and
I turn repentant unto Him.
"ALLAHUMMA INNEE ASTAGHFIRUKA MIN
KULLI MAA TUBTU ILAYKA MINHU THUMMA
U'DTU FEEHI WA ASTAGHFIRUKA LIMAA

DUA'A 19The following istaghfar is taken

from Sahifa Alawiyyah by Imam Ali ibm Abi
Talib. It can be recited at any time :
O Allah, forgive me wrongdoings which
you know inside and out, and if I do them
again, then forgive me again. O Allah,
forgive me for not fulfilling those
promises I made to myself but did not put
them into effect. O Allah, forgive me the
mysterious suggestions of the eyes, my
bad language, forgetfulness,
carelessness, and foolish utterances.
ALLAAHUMMAGH-FIR LEE MAA ANTA
A'LAMU BIHEE MINNEE FA-IN U'DTU FAU'D LEE BIL-MAGHFIRAH
ALLAAHUMMAGH-FIR LEE MAA WA-A'DTU
MIN NAFSEE WA LAM TAJID LAHOO
WAFAA-AN I'NDEE ALLAAHUM-MAGH-FIR
LEE RAMAZAATIL ALH'AAZ'I WA
SAQAT'AATIL ALFAAZ'I WA SAHAWAATIL
JINNAANI WA HAFAWAATIL LISAANI

DUA'A 20The following istighfar is taken

from the Sahifa Alawiyyah by Imam Ali Ibn
abi Talib. It can be recited at any time :

O Allah, I beseech You because (praise be

to You. There is no god save You, the
munificent, the originator of the heavens
and the earth, the owner of glory and
generosity) I am a needy beseecher, an
apologetic suppliant and a repentant
seeker of pardon. O Allah send blessing
on Muhammad and on the children of
Muhammad and forgive me all my sins,
old and new, committed by me. O Allah,
do not aggravate my misfortunes and do
not let my enemies laugh at me, because
there is no remover and preventer (of
misfortune) save You.
ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALUKA BI-ANNA LAKAL H'AMDU
LAA LAA ILAAHA ILLAA ANTAL MANNAANU BADEE-U'S
SAMAAWAATI WAL ARZ'I D'UL JALLAALI WAL IKRAAM INNEE
S'AA-ILUN FAQEERUN WA KHAA-IFUN MUSTAJEERUN WA
TAA-IBUN MUSTAGHFIR ALLAAHUMMA S'ALLI A'LAA
MOHAMMADIN WA AALE MOHAMMAD WAGFIRLI
D'UNOOBEE KULLAAHAA QADEEMAHAA WA
H'ADEETHAHAA WA KULLA D'ANBIN AD'NABTOH
ALLAAHUMMA LAA TAJHAD BALAAA-EE WA LAA TUSHMIT
BEE A'-DAAA-EE FA-INNAHOO LAA DAAFI-A'WA LAA MAANIA ILLAA ANT

DUA'A 21The following istighfar, a form of

seeking pardon, is taken from the Sahifa,
Alawiyyah by Imam Ali ibn abi Talib.

O He who has absolved me of those sins I

committed in my house and in the houses
of other persons. O He who did not take
me to task for the sins committed by me,
(I seek) Your pardon, O generous
pardoner.
YAA MAN A'FAA A'NNEE WA A'MMAA KHALAWTU BIHEE MINAS
SAW-AATI FEE BAYTEE WA GHAYRI BAYTI YAA MAL LAM YUAAKHID'NEE BIRTIKAABIL MA-A'AS'EE A'FWUKA A'FWUKA YAA
KAREEMU A'FWUKA

DUA'A 22The Holy Prophet said:To seek

forgiveness of Allah recite surah Ali Imran
DUA'A 23 Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as
Sadiq said:
1) He who has intended to do good but
could not, is credited with the good in his
record of good deeds.
2) He who intends to do good and actually
does so will receive tenfold of reward
determined for that one good deed.
3) He who intends to do wrong but does not
put it into practice will not be asked for any
explanation.
(4) He who intends to do evil and actually
does so, has an hour at his disposal to turn
repentant unto Allah. The angel who

records good deeds asks the angel who

records evil deeds to wait. May be the
sinner does a good deed which wipes out
the evil deed done by him.
Verily good deeds take away evil deeds. If
he repents and recites the following
istighfar his sin will not be recorded.
I seek forgiveness of Allah who is: There
is no god save He, the knower of the
unknown and the known, the mighty, the
wise, the oft-forgiving, the merciful, the
owner of glory and grace; and I turn
repentant unto Him.
ASTAGHFIRUL-LAAHAL LAD'EE LAA
ILAAHA ILLAA HUWA A'ALIMUL GHAYBI
WASH SHAHADAATIL A'ZEEZUL
H'AKEEMUL GHAFOORUL RAH'EEM D'UL
JALAALI WAL IKRAAMI WA ATOOBU
ILAYHI.

DUA'A 24According to Imam Ali ibn Abi

Talib - Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi says the
following du-a'a gives strength and
assurance of faith to do good and avoid
evil. If it is recited three times by the end
of evening the whole night till morning
becomes a protected period during which
no evil comes near the reciter.

So glory be to Allah when you enter the

evening and when you enter the morning.
For His is the praise in the heavens and
the earth-at the suns decline and when
you enter the noon.
FA-SUBH'AANALLAAHI H'EENA
TUMSOONA WA H'EENA TUS'BIH'OON.
WA LAHUL H'AMDU FIS SAMAAWAATI
WAL ARZ'I WA A'SHIYYAW WA H'EENA
TUZ'HIROON
MAGHFIRAT-TAWBA (REPENTANCE)

from

book 'Power of prayers'

It is very essential for every person to do
Tawba and seek Maghfirat from Allah for
our sins, mistakes, and wrongdoings that
were committed either knowingly or
unknowingly. Allaah (S.W.T.) prefers the
one who seeks pardon from Him and He is
at that instance as happy as the one who
had lost his every belonging and then
suddenly found it in front of him. To seek
pardon from Allaah (S.W.T.) is the remedy
for every problem. Once a person came to
Imam Ali (A.S.) and asked him for the
solution of repaying the debts, he was

told to do Tawba and seek repentance

from Allaah. The other person came
asking for the remedy of a sickness, he
was prescribed the same thing. Yet
another person came asking for the
bestowing of an offspring from Allaah and
he was also told to do Istighfaar as much
as possible.It should not be forgotten that
we, being human beings are prone to
committing sins, The sinless are nobody
in the universe except the Masumeen
(A.S.) and the Prophets of Allah (A.S.)
Might be there are some Qaza Namaaz
we have forgotten, or there might be
some Namaaz prayed not on its time or
hastily without due concentration; might
be there are some Roza which were made
Baatil and we do not know; might be
there were some unobserved rights of our
parents, children, of our relatives,
neighbours, our teachers and scholars, of
our workers, the needy and poor etc. It
might also be that we have made
mistakes in our earnings by taking that
which was Haraam. Might be that we

have not paid Khums or Zakaat properly.

Might be in the case of performing Hajj or
Ziyarat we have made some mistakes.
Might be that we have committed some
mistakes in our young age or because of
improper understanding, or because of
worldly attachment. And might be that we
have not properly propagated our religion
which is the duty of every individual
according to the extent of his/her ability.
It should be kept in mind that while one
seeks repentance then it should be a
sincere repentance, that he or she is
really sorry for the sins committed, a firm
resolution not to repeat again, and if
anything unbecoming has occurred due to
the sins it must be rectified to the best
possible way. The wronged ones should
be repaid, and some hardships should be
taken on oneself so as to realize the
gravity of past sins, and the flash and fat
accumulated by wrongful means should
be dissolved by means of fasting.I hereby
mention a few ways to seek Maghfirat
(repentance) from Allah (S.W.T.):

(1)

Recite Astaghfirullaah Rabbee

Wa Atoobu Ilayh as many times as
possible, with sincerity.
(2)
Try your best to wake up early
before dawn to pray Namaaz-eTahajjud (Shab). There are fourty
plus advantages in it.
(3)
At any time pray two rakat
Namaaz, niyyat Namaaz-e-Afw: In
each rakat recite Surah-e-Qadr after
Al-Hamd and then recite fifteen times
Rabbee Afwaka, then go in Rukoo,
after its zikr recite ten times Rabbee
Afwaka, then before going in Sajdah
recite ten times Rabbee Afwaka,
then in the Sajdah recite it ten times
after its zikr, then in between two
Sajdah again recite it ten times, then
in the second Sajdah recite ten times
the same, then before standing for the
second rakat recite ten times the
same (Rabbee Afwaka), and pray the
same way during the second rakat
also.

(4)

Perform Sunnat ghusl, do Wudhoo,

and recite Ziyarat of Bibi Fatima
(S.A.) and then recite Istighfaar, or
any Duaa for repentance. (ref.
Mafaatihul Jinaan)
(5)
Recite
Duaa-e-Tawba.
(ref.
M.Jinaan or Majmooa)
(6)
Recite these Surah of Holy Quran

S.Yaaseen,
S.Tahreem,
S.Waaqiah,
S.Kaafiroon.
Specifically, S.Tahreem carries Sawaab
of Tawba-e-Nasooh.
(7)
Recite Ziyarat of Imam Radhaa
(A.S.) It is also a means of having our
sins being pardoned.
(8)
These magnificent Duaas are also
a means of wiping our sins away: Duaae-Mashlool, Duaa-e-Mujeer, Jawshane-Kabeer, Sayfi Sagheer, etc.
(9)
Namaaz-e-Rasoolullaah
(S.A.W.W.): Sins are forgiven and
Hajaat fulfilled. Time for this prayer is
preferable Friday morning, but it may
be prayed on any time. (For the
method
of
this
Namaaz
refer

Mafaatihul Jinaan).
(10)
Namaaz-e-Ameerul Mumineen
(A.S.): Its merits are as mentioned
above.
(11)
Namaaz-e-Wasiyyat: To earn
great Sawaab and sins forgiven, in
between Maghrib and Ishaa pray two
rakat Namaaz, in each rakat after AlHamd recite 13 times Surah Zilzaal
and 15 times S.Tawheed. [*]
(12) Recitation of Salawaat is also a
means of atonement for the past sins.
(13) This is also very effective Aamaal
to make our sins disappear from our
Aamaalnaama: Perform Sunnat Ghusl
then do Wudhoo and offer 4 rakat
Namaaz, in each rakat after Al-Hamd
recite 3 times S.Ikhalaas and once
S.Maoozatain (S.Falak and S.Naas). After
completing the Namaaz recite 70 times
Astaghfirullaah Rabbee Wa Atoobu
Ilayh, then recite the following Duaa:
Laa Hawla Walaa Quwwata Illaa
Billaahil Aliyyil Adhweem, Yaa Azeezu
Yaa Ghaffaar, Ighfirlee Dhunoobee,

wa Dhunoobi Jameeil Mumineena

Wal Muminaat, Fa Innahoo Laa
Yaghfirudh Dhunooba Illa Anta.
(14) If one recites Surah As-Sajdah on
the eve of Friday (Shab-e-Jummah) his
or her Aamaalnaama (deeds record)
will be given in the right hand, and
this will be an indication of being
pardoned of every sin.
(15)
Reciting Surah-e-Dukhaan in
Wajib or Sunnat Namaaz is a way to
clear our account of sins.
(16) Pray 2 rakat Namaaz in which
recite
60
times
S.Ikhlaas
(Qulhuwallaah) in each rakat after
Al-Hamd.
(17) Recitation of Duaas specifically for
Maghfirat can be found in Mafaatihul
Jinaan and Pirmuhammad Ebrahim
Trusts Books of DUAA, which are there
in various volumes.
(18)
A very effective Namaaz for the
forgiveness of sins is: Namaaz-eGhufayla. In between Maghrib and
Ishaa prayers pray 2 rakat, in the first

rakat after Al-Hamd recite this Wa

Dhannooni
Idh-Dhahaba
Mughaadhiban Fadhanna Anlan
Naqdira Alayhi Fa Naadaa FidhDhulumaati An Laa Ilaaha Illaa
Anta Subhaanaka Innee Kuntu
Minadh-Dhwaalimeen Fastajabnaa
Lahoo Wa Najjaynaahu Minal
Ghammi Wa Kadhaalika Nunjil
Mumineen. Then continue the
Namaaz as usual until you reach the
second rakat, there after Al-hamd
recite this: Wa Indahoo Mafaatihul
Ghaybi Laa Yaalamuhaa Illaa
Huwa Wa Yaalamu Maa Fil Barri
Wal Bahri Wamaa Tasqutu Min
Waraqatin
Illaa
Yaalamuhaa
Walaa Habbatin Fee Dhulumaatil
Ardhi
Walaa
Ratbin
Walaa
Yaabisin
Illaa
Fee
Kitaabin
Mubeen. Then in Qunoot recite this:
Allaahumma
Bi
Mafaatihul
Ghaybil-Latee Laa Yaalamuhaa
Illaa Anta, Antu Swallee Alaa
Muhammadin
Wa
Aali

Muhammadin Wa An Tafalabee
here beg your Haajat Then recite:
Allaahumma
Anta
Waliyyu
Niamatee Wal Qaadiroo Alaa
Twalibatee Taalamoo Haajatee Fa
Asaluka Bihaqqe Muhammadin
Wa
Aalihee
Alayhimus-Salaam
Lammaa Qadhwaytahaa Lee.
(19)
Duaa of Hazrat Ilyaas (A.S.) in
Sajdah: Ataraak Muazzabi wa qad
adhmatu laka hawaajiri, Ataraak
Muazzabi wa qad affartu laka
fitturaabi
wajhee,
Ataraak
Muazzabi wa qad ijtanabtu lakal
maaaswee, Ataraak Muazzabi wa
qad ashartu laka layli.(In this Duaa
the supplicant pleads to the Almighty
that:
O Allaah, shall You, The Most Merciful, be
happy to see me burning in fire and in
great torments although I have been
observing fasts in hot weathers and
endured acute thirst, and I have
restrained from sins to please You only,
and will You be happy to see me burning

while I have kept night vigils for Your

worship?)
(20) To be pardoned of our sins, Imaam
Jaafar Saadiq (A.S.) said,: Everyday in the
last Sajdah of the Naafilah of Ishaa, and
especially on Thursday-night, recite this
Duaa 7 times: Allaahumma Innee
Asaluka Bi Wajhikal Kareem, Wa
Ismikal Adhweem, Antuswalli Alaa
Muhammadin Wa Aali Muhammad,
Wa An Taghfira Lee Dhanbiyal
Adhweem.
(21)
Rasoolullaah (S.A.W.W.) said that
whoever recites these seven verses on
the Friday-eve, when he shall die he
shall be directly admitted to Jannat:
Allaahumma
Anta
Rabbee.
Laa
Ilaaaha Illaa Anta Khalaqtanee Wa
Anaa Abduka Wabnu Amatik Wa Fee
Qabdhatik Wa Naaswiyatee Bi Yadik
Amsaytu Alaa Ahdik Wa Waadik
Mastatwaatu Aoodhu Bi Ridhaak Min
Sharri Maa Swanaatu Aboou Bi
Niamitik Bi Amali Wa Aboou Bi
Dhambi
Faghfirlee
Dhunoobee

Innahoo Laa Yaghfirudh-Dhunooba

Illaa Anta.
(22)
Insistance in a request and
keeping asking continuously gives
favourable result. The Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.W.) said, A servent of God
says: O God! Forgive me. But God
turns away from him. Again he will
say: O God! Forgive me. God turns
away from him the second time. The
man again says:O God! Forgive me.
Here God says to the Angels: Dont
you see My servent? He asked Me for
forgiveness while I was turning away
from him. He askekd for forgiveness
for the second time. I turned away
from him again. He asked for
forgiveness for the third time. My
servent realized that no one but Me
forgives the sins. I take you as witness
that I have forgiven him.
(23) Reciting Surahe-Takaasur at
bedtime saves one

from Fishaar-e-Qabr.
[*]