The King of Istighfar
Istighfar is the act of seeking forgiveness from Allah, who has adorned Himself with the most beautiful names, including Al-Ghaffar (The Most Forgiving). Forgiveness involves extending mercy to those who have committed wrongdoings. These wrongdoings may pertain to the Creator and the divine ordinances He has prescribed, designated as huquq al-ilah (the rights of the Lord), or to fellow human beings, known as huquq al-ibad (the rights of creation)
It is in the nature of mankind to sin and commit wrongdoings. This was known by the creation before us, when the angels said to Allah:
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةًۭ ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels, "I am about to place My Caliph in the earth"; they said, "Will You place (as a caliph) one who will spread turmoil in it and shed blood? Whereas we glorify You with praise and proclaim Your Sanctity"; He said, "I know what you do not." (Baqarah 2:30)
This verse indicates that the nature of mankind was known even before our creation—yet Allah willed our existence while knowing, through his pre-eternal knowledge, that humans will commit mistakes and sins.
The forgiveness of Allah is vast, like an ocean without a shore; we cannot limit His mercy for His creation. The beauty of this is reflected in the basmalah, where before every good action, we invoke two names of Allah derived from the root letters of mercy.
ENCOURAGEMENT IN SEEKING FORGIVENESS FROM ALLAH
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 immoral act or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness of their sins - and who forgives sins except Allah? And those who do not purposely become stubborn regarding what they did. (Aal Imran 3:135)
This verse beautifully encourages us to turn back to Allah, for there is none besides him who can forgive us for our wrongdoings. Additionally, we are instructed not to be among those who persist in sin and lose hope in Allah's mercy, as this is from the major sins.
The ability to repent is evidence of Allah's willingness to forgive us, as He would not have given us this ability if He did not want to envelop us in His mercy.
Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi reported: The Prophet, ﷺ, said, “Verily, Allah is conscientious and generous. He would be shy, when a man raises his hands to Him, to turn them away empty and disappointed” (Tirmidhi, 3556)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is free from sin, yet he ﷺ would engage in seeking forgiveness from Allah in order to lead by example:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah reports I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: “By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.” (Bukhari, 6307)
Repentance to Allah is not only a means of attaining his forgiveness and mercy but also a shield from poverty and an intermediary of having one's prayers accepted. Imam Badr ad-Din al-Ayni mentions a famous incident of Imam al-Hasan al-Basri, the student of the companions, regarding the virtue of istighfar:
A man came to al-Hasan al-Basri and complained about drought. Al-Hasan said to him, “Seek forgiveness from Allah.” Another man came to him and complained about poverty. Al-Hasan said, “Seek forgiveness from Allah”. Another came to him and said, “Pray to Allah to grant me a child.” Al-Hasan replied, “Seek forgiveness from Allah”. Another person came to complain about his land’s barrenness, and al-Hasan said, “Seek forgiveness from Allah”.
Someone present remarked, “Different people came with different complaints, and you advised them all to seek forgiveness from Allah!” Al-Hasan responded, “I did not say this on my own; it is based on the words of Allah in the story of Prophet Nuh: ‘Seek forgiveness from your Lord. Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance, and He will provide you with wealth and children, and He will give you gardens and rivers.’” (Nuh 71:10-12).
THE KING OF ISTIGHFAR
There are various forms of istighfar one can adopt; each of them has its own virtues and methods of reciting. Some spiritual paths also adopt a specific amount of istighfar for the wayfarer every day. The most authentic and widespread form of istighfar is known as ‘sayyid al-istighfar’.
Sayyiduna Shaddad b. Aus narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, the king of istighfar, is to say:
After the Messenger of Allah taught this wording he then informed the companions of its virtue, saying:
“If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.” (Bukhari, 6306)
This form of seeking forgiveness encompasses all forms of eloquence and gathers the necessary form of a slave seeking from his master.
CONDITIONS FOR AN ACCEPTED REPENTANCE
Imam an-Nawawi mentions the following preconditions for a sound repentance. Three of these conditions concern huquq al-ilah, and an added condition is increased for huquq al-ibad:
“Scholars say that it is a duty to repent of every wrong action. If disobedience occurs between a person and Allah and does not involve the right of another human being, repentance has three preconditions:
One must divest himself of disobedience.
One must regret performing it.
One must promise never to return to it.
If one of the three is lacking, then his repentance is not sound. If it involves another human being, repentance has four preconditions: these three and that he discharges his duty to the other person. If it is money or the like, he pays it to him. If it is a hadd-punishment because of slander and the like, he gives him power over him or seeks his pardon. If it is slander, he undoes it.”
Allah allow us to constantly seek his forgiveness, and may He give us the ability to be from those who earn His pleasure in all stages of our lives. Ameen.
References
Umdat al-Qari
Riyadh as-Salihin
Written by Ustadh Umer Asif
