Istighfar - From the Qur’an

Istighfar 1 - From the Qur’an

لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ

Translation :

There is no god worthy of worship except You; You are free from all imperfection. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. (21:87)

Transliteration :

Lā ilāha illā Anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina-ẓ-ẓālimīn.

This is the du‘ā’ Musā (‘alayhis-salām) made after he unintentionally killed a Coptic man. He realised that it was only through turning to Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) that he could make things right. He cried out ‘My Rabb’. We too should cry out to our ‘Rabb’ when we have wronged.
We should then acknowledge our sins, as acknowledging one’s sins and shortcomings is a sunnah of the Prophets and Messengers (‘alayhimus-Salām). And thereafter, we should ask Allah to forgive us.

Istighfar 2 - From the Qur’an

رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي

Translation :

My Lord, I have certainly wronged myself, so forgive me. (28:16)

Transliteration :

Rabbi innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfirlī.

We should then acknowledge our sins, as acknowledging one’s sins and shortcomings is a sunnah of the Prophets and Messengers (‘alayhimus-Salām). And thereafter, we should ask Allah to forgive us.

Istighfar 3 - From the Qur’an

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Translation :

Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be amongst the losers. (7:23)

Transliteration :

Rabbanā ẓalamnā anfusanā wa il-lam taghfir lanā wa tarḥamnā la-nakūnanna minal-khāsīrīn.

This is the du‘ā’ of our father Ādam (‘alayhis-salām) and mother Ḥawwā’ (‘alayhas-salām) after they had been lured by Shayṭān to eat from the tree. What we can learn from this du‘ā’:

1.We should acknowledge our sins and shortcomings before asking for forgiveness.

2. This du‘ā’ contains fear (we will surely be amongst the losers) and hope (mercy and forgive). We too, should combine fear and hope in our du‘ās.

3. We should show our remorse and turn to Allah in humility, like our parents did.

4. We see the difference in attitude between Ādam (‘alayhis-salām) and Shayṭān: Adam (‘alayhis-salām) acknowledged his mistake, felt remorse over it, blamed himself for it, hastened to repent and didn’t lose hope from the mercy of Allah. Shayṭān, on the other hand didn’t acknowledge his sin, didn’t feel remorse, attributed blame to his Lord, didn’t repent and lost hope in the mercy of Allah.

Istighfar 4 - From the Qur’an

أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ

Translation :

You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us. You are the best of those who forgive. (7:155)

Transliteration :

Anta Walliyyunā fa-ghfir lanā war-ḥamnā wa Anta khayrul-ghāfirīn.

✨ In this du‘ā’ Mūsā (‘alayhis-salām) asked Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) for forgiveness and mercy. He asked through Allah’s name ‘al-Waliyy’. Al-Waliyy is the Protective Friend, the Helper, the Patron, the One who truly loves us. Waliyy is derived from ‘wilāyah’ which denotes closeness, loyalty and authority. Whilst Allah’s general wilāyah extends to all of creation, His special wilāyah is reserved for the believers who are extra-devoted to Him.
✨The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Then, my servant continues to draw near to me with voluntary worship until I love Him, and when I love him, I become his hearing that he hears with, his sight that he sees with, his hand by which he grasps, and his feet by which he walks.” (Bukhārī)

Istighfar 5 - From the Qur’an

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Translation :

Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (3:16)

Transliteration :

Rabbanā in-nanā āmannā fa-ghfir lanā dhunūbanā wa qinā ʿadhāba-n-nār.

✨This is the du‘ā’ of the people of piety and faith. In this du‘ā’, we learn a permissible and commendable form of tawassul (asking Allah through something).
In this case, we are asking through one of the greatest actions of a human being: imān. It is as though we are saying, ‘O Allah, we have believed. Therefore, through and because of our belief, forgive us and protect us from Hell-fire.’

Istighfar 6 - From the Qur’an

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Translation :

My Lord, forgive and have mercy. You are the Best of those who are merciful. (23:118)

Transliteration :

Rabbi-ghfir wa-rḥam wa Anta khayru-r-rāḥimīn.

✨ Forgive: wipe away my sins and conceal them from people.
✨ Have mercy: Guide me and give me the ability to say and do the correct thing.
✨ The combination of maghfirah (forgiveness) and raḥmah (mercy) is the one most frequently seen in the du‘ās of the Qur‘ān.
✨ This āyah indicates that one should not become deceived with one’s actions, as good deeds can sometimes make one arrogant. Similarly, it is a reminder that one should cling on to the mercy of Allah ‘azza wa jall. (al-Ālūsī)
✨Raḥmah is mercy, compassion, nurturing love, and kindness.

Istighfar 7 - From the Qur’an

رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Translation :

My Lord, I seek Your protection from asking You anything about which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I shall be amongst the losers. (11:47)

Transliteration :

Rabbi innī aʿūdhu bika an as’alaka mā laysa lī bihī ʿilm, wa il-lā taghfir lī wa tarḥamnī aku-m-mina-l-khāsīrīn.

Istighfar 8 - From the Qur’an

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

Translation :

Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith. Do not put in our hearts any hatred toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are the Most Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful. (59:10)

Transliteration :

Rabbana-ghfir lanā wa li-ikhwānina-l-ladhīna sabaqūnā bil-īmān, wa lā tajʿal fī qulūbinā ghilla-l-lil-ladhīna āmanū Rabbanā innaka Ra’ūfu-r-Raḥīm.

✨Pray for your brothers and sisters in faith wherever they may be in the world.
✨ Pray for your deceased brothers and sisters: those who have recently left the world and those who left the world a long time ago, those you personally knew and those whose names may be unknown to you, yet you are tied to them through the bond of imān.
✨ Pray for yourself.
✨Pray for forgiveness. Pray for love. Pray for pure hearts. Pray for an end to the hatred, bitterness and infighting amongst the Ummah.
✨ Pray for all of the above through this brief, yet comprehensive du’ā in the Qur’ān.