Repentance and seeking forgiveness — Du'a 3

وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: ((مَن قَالَ أَستَغفِرُ اللَّهَ العَظيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الحَيُّ القَيّوُمُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيهِ، غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ وَإِن كَانَ فَرَّ مِنَ الزَّحفِ)).

Approximate Arabic reading aid

Waqāla ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam: man qāla astaghfiru allāha al-'aẓīma alladhī lā ilāha illā huwa alḥayyu al-qayyūmu wa'atūbu ilayhi, ghafara allāhu lahu wa'in kāna farra mina az-zaḥfi.

English meaning

He also said: ‘Whoever says:(I seek Allah’s forgiveness, besides whom, none has the right to be worshipped except He, The Ever Living, The Self-Subsisting and Supporter of all, and I turn to Him in repentance.) Allah would forgive him even if he was one who fled during the advance of an army.

Explanation (Tafseer)

This formula seeks forgiveness from Allah the Magnificent, affirms that none deserves worship except Him, names Him as the Ever-Living and Self-Subsisting, and declares a return to Him in repentance. The wording grounds the request for pardon in Allah’s uniqueness, enduring life, sustaining power, and the worshipper’s renewed turning.

When to use

Repentance and seeking forgiveness

Reference & source

Hisn al-Muslim 250

Open source