How many times should I recite Istighfar?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to seek forgiveness at least 70–100 times a day. You can recite 'Astaghfirullah' (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ) as often as possible — especially after prayers, in the last third of the night, and during Friday.

What are the conditions of sincere Tawbah (repentance)?

Scholars of Islam identify three main conditions: (1) Immediately stop committing the sin, (2) Deeply regret and feel remorse for what was done, and (3) Firmly resolve never to return to the sin. If the sin involves the rights of another person, a fourth condition applies: make amends or seek their forgiveness.

What is the best time to make dua for forgiveness?

The best times include: the last third of the night (Tahajjud), after every Fard prayer, on Fridays between Asr and Maghrib, during Ramadan (especially Laylat al-Qadr), and in prostration (Sujood).

📿 Islamic Supplications

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Dua for Forgiveness in Islam

Q: What is the most powerful dua for forgiveness in Islam?

The most powerful dua for forgiveness is Sayyidul Istighfar — the Master of Istighfar. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever recites it with conviction in the morning and dies before evening enters Jannah. (Sahih Bukhari 6306)

Complete collection of authentic duas for forgiveness (Istighfar) with Arabic text, transliteration, English translation, and verified hadith references — for every occasion.

📿 All Duas 🔄 Conditions of Tawbah 🌙 Best Times ☪️ Names of Allah ❓ FAQ

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✨ Why Seek Forgiveness?

The Mercy of Allah is Greater Than Any Sin

In Islam, dua for forgiveness — known as Istighfar (الاستغفار) — is one of the most beloved acts of worship. Allah ﷻ promises in the Quran: “And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 4:110). No sin is too great for Allah’s mercy when approached with sincere Tawbah (repentance).

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, despite being sinless, sought forgiveness more than 70 times a day — teaching the Ummah that Istighfar is not merely for major sins, but a constant state of the believer’s heart. It purifies the soul, lifts hardship, opens doors of provision (Rizq), and draws one closer to Allah.

This page compiles the most important and authentic duas for forgiveness from the Quran and Sunnah, along with guidance on Tawbah, the best times to seek forgiveness, and practical steps for maintaining a daily habit of Istighfar.

→ Explore our related collection: Daily Duas & Morning Adhkar | Quranic Duas | Dhikr & Tasbeeh

⭐ Most Important Dua

Sayyidul Istighfar — Master of Forgiveness

The greatest dua for seeking forgiveness, according to the Prophet ﷺ. Recite it sincerely every morning and evening.

❧ ✦ ❧

📿 SAYYIDUL ISTIGHFAR — THE MASTER OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS

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

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, a’udhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u laka bini’matika alayya, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi, faghfir li fa’innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.

“O Allah, You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except You.”

📚 Sahih al-Bukhari — Hadith 6306 · Narrated by Shaddad ibn Aws (رضي الله عنه)

📿 Complete Collection

Authentic Duas for Forgiveness from Quran & Sunnah

All duas are sourced from the Quran or Sahih (authentic) hadith collections. Scroll or tap any card to read the full dua.

📖 Quranic Dua Surah Al-A’raf 7:23

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbana dhalamna anfusana wa-in lam taghfir lana wa-tarhamma lana lanakununna minal-khasirin.

“Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.” — Dua of Prophet Adam & Hawwa (ع)

✅ Quranic Surah Al-A’raf

📖 Quranic Dua Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:193

رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ

Rabbana faghfir lana dhunubana wa kaffir ‘anna sayyi’atina wa tawaffana ma’al-abrar.

“Our Lord! Forgive our sins, remove from us our evil deeds, and let us die with the righteous.”

✅ Quranic Ali ‘Imran

📿 Hadith Sahih Muslim 2702

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي

Allahumma-ghfir li khati’ati wa jahli wa israfi fi amri, wa ma anta a’lamu bihi minni.

“O Allah, forgive me my sins, my ignorance, my immoderation in my affairs, and what You know better than I do.”

✅ Sahih Muslim 2702

📿 After Prayer Sahih Muslim 590

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ

Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah.

“I seek forgiveness from Allah” — to be said three times immediately after completing the Fard (obligatory) prayer, as per the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

✅ Sahih After Salah

📖 Quranic Dua Surah Az-Zumar 39:53

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Qul ya ‘ibadiy alladhina asrafu ‘ala anfusihim la taqnatu min rahmatillah, innallaha yaghfirudh-dhunuba jami’an, innahu huwal-ghafururrahim.

“Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah — indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

✅ Quranic Az-Zumar 39:53

🌙 Night Prayer Sahih Bukhari 1120

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي

Allahumma-ghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a’lantu, wa ma anta a’lamu bihi minni.

“O Allah, forgive me what I have done before and what I will do in the future, what I have hidden and what I have done openly, and what You know better than I.”

✅ Sahih Night Prayer

📖 Prophet Yunus Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87

لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minadh-dhalimin.

“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” — Dua of Prophet Yunus (ع) from within the whale. Powerful for extreme hardship.

✅ Quranic Dua of Yunus (ع)

🌅 Morning & Evening Abu Dawud 1516

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullahal-ladhi la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyum wa atubu ilayh.

“I seek forgiveness from Allah — besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped — the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence, and I turn to Him in repentance.” — Sins forgiven even if they are like the foam of the sea.

✅ Authentic Morning & Evening

📖 Prophet Ibrahim Surah Ibrahim 14:41

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

Rabbana-ghfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu’minina yawma yaqumul-hisab.

“Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the account is established.” — Dua of Prophet Ibrahim (ع), encompassing forgiveness for oneself, parents, and all believers.

✅ Quranic For Parents Too

🔄 Understanding Repentance

The 4 Conditions of Sincere Tawbah (Repentance)

For forgiveness to be accepted, repentance must meet specific conditions outlined by Islamic scholars based on Quran and Sunnah.

📊 The Pillars of Accepted Tawbah

Based on the consensus of Islamic scholarship from Imam Al-Nawawi and Ibn Qudamah (رحمهم الله)

🛑 1

Stop the Sin

Immediately cease committing the sinful act. Continuing while claiming repentance is not sincere Tawbah.

💔 2

Feel Remorse

Experience genuine regret and sadness in the heart for having disobeyed Allah ﷻ. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Regret is repentance.” (Ibn Majah)

🤲 3

Firm Resolve

Make a sincere intention to never return to the sin. This determination must be genuine, even if one falls short later.

🤝 4

Make Amends

If the sin involved another person’s rights (Haqq al-Ibad) — return stolen property, repay debts, or seek their pardon.

🌿 What If I Keep Repeating the Same Sin?

Many Muslims worry that repeated repentance for the same sin is not accepted. This is a misconception. The Prophet ﷺ said in a Hadith Qudsi: “A servant commits a sin and says: ‘O Allah forgive me.’ And Allah says: ‘My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for them.’ Then he sins again and says: ‘O Lord, forgive me.’ And Allah says: ‘My servant has committed a sin…’ Then he sins a third time… Allah says: ‘Do what you will, for I have forgiven you.'” (Sahih Muslim 2758). Keep returning to Allah — the door of Tawbah is always open until the soul reaches the throat at death.

🌙 Optimal Times

Best Times to Make Dua for Forgiveness

Certain moments are especially blessed — when Allah’s mercy descends and duas are more readily accepted.

⏰ Sacred Windows for Istighfar

Based on authentic Quranic verses and Prophetic hadiths

🌃

Last Third of Night

Allah descends to the lowest heaven asking: “Who will seek forgiveness?” (Bukhari 1145). The most powerful time for Istighfar.

🌅

After Fajr Prayer

The Quran praises those who seek forgiveness at dawn (Quran 3:17). Begin each day with Sayyidul Istighfar.

🕌

After Every Salah

Say “Astaghfirullah” three times after completing every obligatory prayer, as per Sahih Muslim 591.

🕋

Friday (Jumu’ah)

There is a blessed hour on Friday — between Asr and Maghrib — when all duas are accepted (Bukhari 935). Use it for Istighfar.

🌙

Laylat al-Qadr

The Night of Decree is better than 1,000 months (Quran 97:3). The Prophet ﷺ recommended: “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni.” (Tirmidhi 3513)

☪️ Divine Names

Allah’s Names Related to Forgiveness & Mercy

Call upon Allah by His beautiful names (Al-Asma ul-Husna) when seeking forgiveness. Each name reflects a different dimension of His mercy.

الْغَفُورُ Al-Ghafoor — The Most Forgiving

الْغَفَّارُ Al-Ghaffar — The Oft-Forgiving

الْعَفُوُّ Al-‘Afuw — The Pardoner

الرَّحْمَٰنُ Ar-Rahman — The Most Merciful

الرَّحِيمُ Ar-Raheem — The Especially Merciful

التَّوَّابُ At-Tawwab — The Acceptor of Repentance

الْحَلِيمُ Al-Haleem — The Clement

اللَّطِيفُ Al-Lateef — The Kind & Subtle

When you recite a dua for forgiveness, begin by praising Allah with His most beautiful names. For example: “Ya Ghaffar, ya Tawwab, ya ‘Afuw — O Most Forgiving, O Acceptor of Repentance, O Pardoner — forgive me.” Invoking these names connects your supplication to the very attributes of Allah that govern forgiveness.

📋 Practical Guide

How to Build a Daily Istighfar Habit

🌅 Morning Routine

Start every morning by reciting Sayyidul Istighfar once with full presence of heart, followed by “Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilayh” at least 70 times. The Prophet ﷺ said he sought forgiveness 70 times a day (Bukhari 6307). This takes under 5 minutes but spiritually cleanses the heart before you face the day.

🕌 After Every Salah

As established in Sahih Muslim 591, the Prophet ﷺ would say “Astaghfirullah” three times upon completing each prayer. Build this habit: before picking up your phone or moving, say it three times. Over five daily prayers, that is 15 times per day — a firm foundation.

🌃 Night Forgiveness Dhikr

In the last third of the night — approximately 90 minutes before Fajr — wake for a brief Tahajjud of 2 rak’ahs and make heartfelt Istighfar. If waking is difficult, at minimum recite the dua for sleeping (from our Daily Duas collection) followed by 10 repetitions of Sayyidul Istighfar.

📖 Dhikr Counter

Use a tasbih (prayer beads) or a digital counter to track your Istighfar. Aim for 100 per day — the number the Prophet ﷺ recommended. You can also explore our Dhikr & Tasbeeh Guide for structured daily remembrance plans.

🔗 Related Pages

Explore more collections from DuaForAll — all verified, all free.

📚 Scholarly Sources

Frequently Asked Questions About Dua for Forgiveness

Answers based on authentic hadith and the scholarship of major Islamic authorities.

What is the most powerful dua for forgiveness in Islam? ▼

The most powerful dua for forgiveness is Sayyidul Istighfar — the Master of Seeking Forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ guaranteed that whoever recites it with conviction in the morning and dies before evening enters Jannah, and vice versa for the evening. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). The full text is at the top of this page.

How many times should I say Istighfar (Astaghfirullah)? ▼

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would seek forgiveness at least 70 to 100 times every day (Sahih Bukhari 6307 / Sahih Muslim 2702). You can say “Astaghfirullah” or the extended form as often as possible — especially after prayers, in the last third of the night, and on Fridays. There is no maximum — the more, the better.

Can I make dua for forgiveness in English? ▼

Yes. While reciting the Arabic duas is recommended and carries special spiritual weight (as these are the exact words of the Prophet ﷺ and the Quran), making dua in your native language is valid. Allah understands all languages. As you learn, try to memorise the Arabic duas gradually — even one at a time. See our guide for New Muslims for step-by-step help.

What are the conditions of Tawbah (sincere repentance)? ▼

Islamic scholars outline 3–4 main conditions: (1) Immediately stop the sinful act; (2) Feel genuine remorse in the heart; (3) Firmly resolve not to return to the sin; (4) If the sin harmed another person’s rights, make amends — return property, repay debts, or ask for their forgiveness. See our full Tawbah infographic above.

Is there a special dua for forgiveness of major sins? ▼

The Quran in Surah Az-Zumar 39:53 offers the greatest hope: “Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of Allah’s mercy — indeed Allah forgives all sins.” There is no sin too great for sincere Tawbah. Sayyidul Istighfar, combined with genuine repentance, is appropriate for any sin. For sins involving another person, however, you must also seek their forgiveness or make restitution.

What is the dua for forgiveness during Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr? ▼

The Prophet ﷺ specifically taught this dua to Aisha (رضي الله عنها) for Laylat al-Qadr: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni — “O Allah, You are the Pardoner, You love to pardon, so pardon me.” (Tirmidhi 3513, graded Sahih). This dua beautifully invokes Allah’s attribute of pardoning. See all our Ramadan Duas here.

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