The best way of seeking Allah's forgiveness (Sayyid al-Istighfar)
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا 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 لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.
Transliteration
Allāhumma anta rabbī lā ilāha illā ant, khalaqtanī wa anā ‘abduk, wa anā ‘alā ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastaṭa‘t, a‘ūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣana‘t, abū’u laka bini‘matika ‘alayya, wa abū’u bidhanbī faghfir lī, fa innahu lā yaghfiru adh-dhunūba illā ant.
Translation
O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your slave. I keep Your covenant and Your promise as much as I am able. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I admit my sin — so forgive me, for none can forgive sins but You.
View full hadith context▾
عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَيِّدُ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ تَقُولَ: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا 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 لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ» قَالَ: «وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوقِنًا بِهَا، فَمَاتَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُمْسِيَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُوَ مُوقِنٌ بِهَا، فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ».
Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "The best way of seeking Allah's forgiveness is to say: 'O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your slave...'" The Prophet added: "Whoever says this during the day with certainty in it and dies that day before evening will be among the people of Paradise; and whoever says it at night with certainty and dies before morning will be among the people of Paradise."
Reference
Narrated by Al-Bukhāri