Seeking forgiveness is a way of out of every problem.
فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (Surah Nuh: 10)
يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (Surah Nuh: 11)
وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا
And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. (Surah Nuh: 12)
Allah is very forgiving:
“Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness.” [al-Najm:32]
He promises to forgive:
“while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” [al-Baqarah:268]
Allah invites his servants to seek forgiveness:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the nearest Heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying, ‘Who will invoke Me, so that I may respond to him? Who will ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Who will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” [al-Bukhari]
Allah forgives all no matter who they may be:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah said, ‘O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you without hesitation in spite of what you have done. O son of Adam, if you have sins piling up to the clouds and then ask for My forgiveness, I will forgive you without hesitation. O son of Adam, if you come to Me with enough sins to fill the earth and then you meet Me without associating anything with Me, I will come to you with enough forgiveness to fill the earth.’” [al-Tirmidhi]
Forgives the biggest of sins even:
And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Nisa:110]
Out of his mercy, Allah converts sins into good deeds:
Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Furqan:70]
What are the benefits of Istighfaar?
One of the benefits of Istigfaar is an increase in one’s rizq.
Istighfar for Rizq:
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ ! When I make du’a to my Lord, what shall I say?” He ﷺ said, “Say:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
‘O Allah, grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, protect me, and provide me sustenance.’” And he ﷺ collected his fingers together except his thumb and said, “It is in these words (that there is supplication) which sums up for you (the good) of this world and that of the Hereafter.” [Muslim]
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِى ذَنْبِى، وَوَسِّعْ لِى فِى دَارِى، وَبَارِكْ لِى فِى رِزْقِى
“O Allah! Forgive for me my sins, and make spacious for me my home, and bless for me my provision.” [Saheeh al-Jaami’]
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَارْحَمْهُمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَوَسِّعْ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي أَرْزَاقِهِمْ
“O Allah, forgive them, have mercy on them, bless them and expand their sustenance for them.” [Musnad Ahmad]
Other benefits of Istighfar
Forgiveness of sins:
And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. [Nuh:10]
The Pleasure of Allah and His Love:
Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” [al-Baqarah:222]
Receive Allah’s Mercy:
Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allah that you may receive mercy?” [al-Naml:46]
Rain and strength:
Of the benefits of seeking forgiveness is that Allah would send down rain from the sky.
And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. [Hud:52]
Safety from punishment:
But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness. [al-Anfal:33]
Joy on the Day of Judgment:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever likes to be pleased with his record [of deeds], let him ask for a great deal of forgiveness.” [al-Silsilah al-Sahihah]
Entry into Jannah:
O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. [al-Tahreem:8]
