Sayyid al-Istighfar

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Sayyid al-Istighfar is a du’a that the Prophet (s.a.w.) recommended his ummah to recite every morning and every evening and was described by him as the best du’a to ask forgiveness from Allah (s.w.t.). 

Sayyidina Shaddad ibn ‘Aws (r.a.) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said that the most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah (s.w.t.) is to say Sayyid al-Istighfar.  That “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.” 

This hadits is recorded by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (r.a.) in his Swahih, by Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i (r.a.), and Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi (r.a.). 

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا 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 لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ 

Allahumma anta Rabbii laa ilaha illaa anta.  Khalaqtanii wa annaa ‘abduka, wa annaa ‘alaa ‘ahdika wa wa’dika maa astatha’tu.  A’uudzu bika min sharri maa swana’tu.  Abuu’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya, wa abuu’u bidzanbii.  Faaghfirlii fa’innahu laa yaghfiru adz-dzunuuba illaa anta 

“Oh Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship but You.  You Created me and I am your slave.  I keep Your Covenant, and my pledge to You so far as I am able.  I seek Refuge in You from the evil of what I have done.  I admit to Your Blessings upon me, and I admit to my misdeeds.  Forgive me, for there is none who may forgive sins but You”.