The best way of seeking Allah's forgiveness
Authenticعَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَيِّدُ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ تَقُولَ: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ» قَالَ: «وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوقِنًا بِهَا، فَمَاتَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُمْسِيَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُوَ مُوقِنٌ بِهَا، فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ».
Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "The best way of seeking Allah's forgiveness is to say: 'Allāhumma anta rabbi la ilāha illa ant khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastata‘t a‘ūdhu bika min sharri ma sana‘t abū’u laka bini‘matika ‘alayya wa abū’u bidhanbi faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunūba illa ant (O Allah, You are my Lord. You created me, and I am Your slave. I will remain faithful to Your covenant and promise as much as possible. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I admit my sin. So, forgive me. Indeed, none can forgive sins but You).'" He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added: "And whoever says this during the day while being certain of its meaning, then he dies before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night while being certain of its meaning then he dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that seeking forgiveness has certain wordings, the greatest of which is to say: "Allāhumma anta rabbi la ilāha illa ant khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastata‘t a‘ūdhu bika min sharri ma sana‘t abū’u laka bini‘matika ‘alayya wa abū’u bidhanbi faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunūba illa ant (O Allah, You are my Lord. You created me, and I am Your slave. I will remain faithful to Your covenant and promise as much as possible. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I admit my sin. So, forgive me. Indeed, none can forgive sins but You)." Here, the slave first acknowledges the oneness of Allah and that Allah is his Creator and God, with no partner. He states that he adheres to his covenant with Allah Almighty, to believe in Him and obey Him as much as he can because no matter what the slave offers of worship, he cannot carry out all of Allah's commands or show sufficient gratitude for the blessings He has bestowed upon him. The slave, then, seeks refuge with Allah and holds fast to Him, as He is the One with Whom refuge is sought against the evil he committed. He willingly admits and acknowledges the favor of Allah upon him, and again admits and acknowledges his sins and misdeeds. After imploring Allah, he supplicates his Lord to forgive him by concealing his sins and protecting him from dire consequences through His pardon, favor, and mercy, as none can forgive sins but Allah Almighty. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that this supplication is from the morning and evening Adhkār (regular supplications), and whoever recites it with certainty while recalling its meanings and believing in them at the beginning of his day, from sunrise till the sun's decline, i.e., at daytime, and he dies, he will enter Paradise. And whoever recites it at night, from sunset till the break of dawn, and dies before the morning, he will enter Paradise.
Benefits
- There are various forms of Istighfār (seeking Allah's forgiveness) and some of them are better than others.
- One should be keen on reciting this supplication, which is the best in seeking Allah's forgiveness.
Source · Narrated by Al-Bukhāri
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).