The meaning of Istaghfar ٱسْتِغْفَار

You have already seen that TAUBAH (Repentance) has three conditions without which the fulfilment does not materialize. The other term in relation to TAUBAH is Istaghfar (seeking forgiveness). This term is commonly used as compared with TAUBAH. The term Istaghfar means seeking Allah's forgiveness. According to Imam Ghazzi
رحمة الله عليه there are three conditions present in TA UBAH that are not present in Istaghfar . Anyone may indulge in Istaghfar . or seeking Allah's forgiveness at any time and in any circumstances. When some suspicion or misgiving is born in the heart, some default occurs in worship or when some sin is committed. While seeking divine forgiveness one should utter these words of Istaghfar  with fill confidence in their acceptance:

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبي مِنْ كُلِ ذَنبٍ وَأتُوبُ إلَيهِ

I seek forgiveness of Allah, my Lord, from all sins and turn to Him in repentance.

The best words of Istaghfar ٱسْتِغْفَار

May our lives be sacrificed for the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم who has taught his Ummah such words of Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار as no man could think of despite his best efforts. For example. take these words:

The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم used to utter the words of Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار between the two green signals. while performing his Sa'ee between the rocks of Safa and Marwah. These words may be translated as:

"0 Allah, forgive us, have mercy on us, excuse us and pardon us for the sins which You know
and which we do not know. You indeed, are the most Honorable, the most Respectable". There are many sins which people do not feel that they are sins, nor do they know that they are sins. The number and varieties of sins are so vast that they can hardly be counted or comprehended. The Holy Prophet d
has solved this problem by including in his sacred Hadith the words which "You know and which we do not know".

The master Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار

It is much better to memorize (Master. Istighfar  ٱسْتِغْفَار) and recite it as a matter of daily routine. It runs thus:

اللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِيْ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّاأَنْتَ۔

This may be translated as follows:

"0 Allah ! You are my Sustaining Lord. There is none worthy of worship except You. You created me and I am a slave of You. As far as possible I abide by the undertaking and promise I have made with You. I seek refuge with You from what (sins) I have done. I turn to you (in gratitude) with the blessings You have granted me. I also turn to YOU in repentance for my sins. So forgive my sins, as there is none except You who can forgive sins"

It occurs in a Hadith that if a man recites this Master Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار in the morning with full faith and conviction, and if he dies during that day he shall enter Paradise direct. Similarly. if anyone recites it in the evening and dies
during that night he will enter Paradise direct. Let everyone make it his daily routine to recite this Master Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار - every morning and evening or still better, after every prayer, because the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم has himself named it (Master Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار .).

Almighty Allah has taught His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم these sacred words and the latter (he) صلى الله عليه و سلم has, in turn, taught his Ummah the same words. This goes to prove that Almighty Allah desires to forgive His servants through this Master Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار . It is, therefore, recommended emphatically that all should include it in their daily routine. If you so desire, you may also memories the following brief words of Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار :

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبي مِنْ كُلِ ذَنبٍ وَأتُوبُ إلَيهِ

There is also no harm if only the words "Astagfirrullah"(I seek Allah's forgiveness) are rehearsed, as they too contain the essence of Istighfar ٱسْتِغْفَار and are effective.