Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: 'By Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.'" — (Bukhari)
Think about this. The Prophet ﷺ — whose past and future sins were forgiven by Allah — made istighfar at least 70 times a day. What about us?
What Is Istighfar?
Istighfar means seeking forgiveness from Allah. The most common form is saying Astaghfirullah — "I seek forgiveness from Allah." But the most complete form is the Sayyid al-Istighfar, which includes acknowledging Allah's blessings, confessing one's sins, and asking for forgiveness.
5 Life-Changing Benefits of Istighfar
1. It Removes Hardship and Opens Doors
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever makes istighfar regularly, Allah will provide him with relief from every worry, a way out of every difficulty, and will provide for him from sources he never imagined." — (Abu Dawud)
Are you going through financial difficulty? Make istighfar. Struggling to find a spouse? Make istighfar. Feeling stuck in life? Make istighfar. It is not just spiritual — it changes your worldly circumstances.
2. It Brings Rain (Literally)
This is often overlooked. When Nuh (AS) called his people to istighfar, Allah said: "Ask forgiveness of your Lord. He is the Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance, give you wealth and children, provide you with gardens and rivers." — (Surah Nuh 71:10-12)
3. It Cleans the Heart
The Prophet ﷺ said: "When a person commits a sin, a black spot forms on the heart. If they repent, the spot is erased. If they do more sins, the spots increase until the heart is covered." — (Tirmidhi)
Istighfar is the polish for a darkened heart.
4. It Delays Punishment
Allah says: "And Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness." — (Surah Al-Anfal 8:33)
5. It Is the Sunnah of Every Prophet
Adam (AS), Ibrahim (AS), Musa (AS), Yunus (AS), Dawud (AS) — all sought forgiveness when they erred. Even Muhammad ﷺ made it 70+ times daily. It is the way of the righteous.
How to Build the Habit
Set a goal of 100 Astaghfirullah per day. Use a tasbih (prayer beads) or a counter app. You can say it while driving, cooking, walking — any idle moment. 100 times takes less than 3 minutes.
"Allah is happier with the repentance of His servant than a man who finds his camel after losing it in the desert." — Prophet ﷺ (Bukhari & Muslim)
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