Invocation - Dua for Seeking Allah's Forgiveness
In Islam, seeking Allah’s forgiveness is an essential spiritual journey for every believer. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘All the children of Adam commit sins, and the best of sinners are those who repent abundantly.’
Human beings are prone to error and sin, but divine mercy is a source of comfort and hope. This article explores the importance of supplications to seek Allah’s forgiveness and provides specific invocations used for repentance and seeking His mercy.
1. Allah's Forgiveness in Islam
Islam teaches that Allah’s forgiveness is accessible to all who sincerely repent for their sins and seek His mercy. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, is filled with verses emphasizing Allah’s ability to forgive and show mercy to His servants. Allah says in Surah An-Nisa, verse 106:
‘And ask forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.’
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also taught the importance of repentance and seeking divine forgiveness.
2. The Act of Repentance
Repentance, known as ‘tawbah’ in Arabic, is a fundamental act in Islam. It involves acknowledging one’s sins, sincerely regretting those actions, and firmly resolving not to repeat them. All the prophets, from Adam to Muhammad, sought forgiveness from Allah. Prophet Muhammad himself sought forgiveness from Allah more than 70 times a day, as narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari 6307.
Examples in the Quran abound. For instance, Prophet Dawood (David) is cited in Surah Sad, verses 24 and 25, as seeking forgiveness and prostrating to Allah in repentance, resulting in Allah’s forgiveness and a place close to Him.
3. Invocations - Dua for Allah's Forgiveness
Here are some commonly used invocations to seek Allah’s forgiveness:
A. The Best Supplication - Dua for Forgiveness (Sayyid al-Istighfar)
Sayyid al-Istighfar is considered one of the most powerful invocations to seek Allah’s forgiveness. It is a comprehensive prayer that expresses the believer’s humility, gratitude towards Allah, and sincere quest for forgiveness. Here is Sayyid al-Istighfar:
Arabic:
‘اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ’
Phonetic: ‘Allahumma anta rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma istata’tu, a’udhu bika min sharri ma san’atu, abu’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya, wa abu’u bi dhambii, faghfirli, fa innahu la yaghfiru ath-thunuba illa anta.’
Translation: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no deity except You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I uphold my covenant and promise to You as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have committed. I acknowledge Your favors upon me, and I confess my sins. Forgive me, as none forgives sins except You.’
B. Invocation - Dua of Prophet Adam
Arabic:
‘رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَّم ْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِيْن’
Phonetic: ‘Rabana dhalamna anfoussana oua in lam taghfir lana oua tarhamna la na kounanna min al khasirin.’
Translation: ‘Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.’
Context: When our Prophet Adam was sent to Earth, he sought words and phrases to seek forgiveness from Allah for his forgetfulness. Allah taught him this supplication directly through the intermediary of Angel Gabriel (Jibril).
C. Repentance Invocation Repeated by Prophet Muhammad More Than 70 Times a Day
Arabic:
‘أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ’
Phonetic: ‘Astaghfiru Allah.’
Translation: ‘I seek forgiveness from Allah.’
D. Invocation - Dua of Hope in Allah's Mercy
Arabic:
‘يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ’
Phonetic: ‘Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyumu, birahmatika astaghithu, aslih li sha’ni kullahu, wa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn.’
Translation: ‘O Living, O Sustaining, in Your mercy, I seek assistance. Set right all my affairs, and do not entrust me to myself even for the blink of an eye.’
4. The Power of Forgiveness
Islam teaches that Allah’s forgiveness is accessible to all, regardless of the gravity of sins committed. It is only through sincere repentance and seeking divine forgiveness that believers can hope to attain Allah’s mercy. Allah’s forgiveness is a source of comfort.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, invocations to seek Allah’s forgiveness are an important spiritual practice in Islam. They allow believers to acknowledge their sins, repent sincerely, and seek divine mercy. Islam teaches that Allah’s forgiveness is accessible to all who seek it with a sincere and humble heart.
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