Seeking forgiveness from Allah is one of the central acts of worship in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — whose past and future sins were already forgiven — sought Allah’s forgiveness more than seventy times a day. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6307) If he needed istighfar this much, every Muslim does too.
This guide brings together 15 powerful duas for forgiveness: the supreme “Master of Istighfar” the Prophet ﷺ taught, the duas of Adam, Yunus, and Musa from the Quran, the daily “Astaghfirullah” foundation, and the longer Prophetic supplications. Each is presented with Arabic, transliteration, English meaning, and its hadith or Quranic source.
Table of Contents
The Power of Istighfar
Allah promises in the Quran (Surah Nuh 71:10–12) that for those who seek His forgiveness regularly, He sends abundant rain, gives them wealth and children, and makes for them gardens and rivers. Istighfar is not a last-resort prayer for the desperate — it is the daily medicine of the believer.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever clings to istighfar — Allah will make a way out of every distress for him, a relief from every grief, and provide for him from where he never expected.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1518; Sunan Ibn Majah 3819)
1. Sayyid al-Istighfar — The Master of Forgiveness
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ named one specific du‘a as the Sayyid al-Istighfar — literally “the Master of Seeking Forgiveness.” He attached an extraordinary promise to it.
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 ma-stata‘tu, a‘udhu bika min sharri ma sana‘tu, abu’u laka bi-ni‘matika ‘alayya, wa abu’u laka bi-dhanbi, faghfir li fa-innahu la yaghfiru-dh-dhunuba illa anta.
Meaning: “O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You. You created me and I am Your slave. I am upon Your covenant and Your promise as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin. So forgive me — for none forgives sins except You.”
The Promise: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites it during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before evening — he is from the people of Paradise. And whoever recites it at night with firm faith in it and dies before morning — he is from the people of Paradise.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)
Memorize this du‘a as the foundation of all istighfar. Recite it every morning and every evening.
Related:
2. Astaghfirullah — The Daily Foundation
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّٰه
Astaghfirullah — “I seek Allah’s forgiveness.”
The shortest and most-repeated istighfar. The Prophet ﷺ recited it at least 70 times daily (some narrations say 100). It is sunnah to say it three times immediately after the salam of every fard salah, before reciting Allahumma antas-salam.
3. The Longer Form: Astaghfirullaha-lladhi La Ilaha Illa Hu
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّٰهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Astaghfirullaha-lladhi la ilaha illa Huwa, al-Hayy al-Qayyum, wa atubu ilayh.
Meaning: “I seek the forgiveness of Allah — there is no god but Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining — and I turn to Him in repentance.”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says this, his sins will be forgiven even if he had fled from the battlefield.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1517; Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3577, hasan)
Duas for Forgiveness from the Quran
4. The Dua of Adam & Hawwa — Surah Al-A‘raf 7:23
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Rabbana zalamna anfusana, wa in lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna la-nakunanna min al-khasirin.
Meaning: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.” The dua Adam (peace be upon him) was taught after his slip in Jannah — the very first istighfar of human history.
5. The Dua of Yunus — Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min az-zalimin.
Meaning: “There is no god but You, glorified are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “No Muslim ever supplicates with this du‘a in any matter, except that Allah responds to him.” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3505, sahih) Recite especially in moments of distress.
6. The Dua of Musa — Surah Al-Qasas 28:16
رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi inni zalamtu nafsi faghfir li.
Meaning: “My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.” A short, intensely personal du‘a — six Arabic words. Use it in sujood when no other words come.
7. The Dua of Believers — Surah Al-Mu’minun 23:118
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Rabbi-ghfir wa-rham, wa anta khayr ar-rahimin.
Meaning: “My Lord, forgive and have mercy — You are the Best of those who show mercy.” The closing verse of Surah Al-Mu’minun.
8. Forgiveness for Parents & Believers — Surah Ibrahim 14:41
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Rabbana-ghfir li wa li-walidayya wa li-l-mu’minin, yawma yaqumu-l-hisab.
Meaning: “Our Lord, forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day the reckoning is established.” The dua of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) — teaches us to seek forgiveness for our parents alongside ourselves.
9. The Concise All-Inclusive — Surah Aal-‘Imran 3:16
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana innana amanna, faghfir lana dhunubana, wa qina ‘adhab an-nar.
Meaning: “Our Lord, we believe — so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
10. Forgive & Make Us Steadfast — Surah Aal-‘Imran 3:147
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا
Rabbana-ghfir lana dhunubana wa israfana fi amrina wa thabbit aqdamana.
Meaning: “Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our matter, and make our feet firm.”
Duas for Forgiveness from the Sunnah
11. Forgive All My Sins — Big & Small
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ، وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
Allahumma-ghfir li dhanbi kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa awwalahu wa akhirahu, wa ‘alaniyatahu wa sirrah.
Meaning: “O Allah, forgive me all my sins — the small and the great, the first and the last, the public and the private.” (Sahih Muslim 483)
12. The Bedtime Forgiveness Dua
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ، وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ، لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bi-ridaka min sakhatika, wa bi-mu‘afatika min ‘uqubatika, wa a‘udhu bika minka. La uhsi thana’an ‘alayka, anta kama athnayta ‘ala nafsika.
Meaning: “O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your displeasure, and in Your pardon from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot count Your praise — You are as You have praised Yourself.” (Sahih Muslim 486)
13. Comprehensive Forgiveness Dua
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي
Allahumma-ghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a‘lantu, wa ma asraftu, wa ma anta a‘lamu bihi minni.
Meaning: “O Allah, forgive me what I have done before and what I will do later, what I have done in private and in public, where I have been excessive, and what You know better than I.” (Sahih Muslim 771)
14. Allahumma innaka ‘Afuwwun — The Laylatul Qadr Dua
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka ‘Afuwwun, tuhibbu-l-‘afwa, fa‘fu ‘anni.
Meaning: “O Allah, You are Pardoning, You love to pardon — so pardon me.” The du‘a Aisha (RA) was taught for Laylatul Qadr. (Sunan Ibn Majah 3850; Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3513, sahih) ‘Afoo carries a deeper meaning than maghfirah — it is to wipe away the sin so completely that no record of it remains.
15. The Night-Worship Forgiveness Dua
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Rabbi-ghfir li wa tub ‘alayya, innaka anta-t-Tawwabu-r-Rahim.
Meaning: “My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance — truly You are the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful.” The Prophet ﷺ would say this 100 times in a single sitting. (Sunan Abi Dawud 1516; Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3434, sahih)
When to Recite Duas for Forgiveness
- Three Astaghfirullahs after every fard salah — before Allahumma antas-salam.
- Sayyid al-Istighfar twice daily — once in the morning, once in the evening.
- Last third of the night — the time Allah descends and asks: “Who is asking forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145)
- In sujood — the closest position to Allah, especially Musa’s short dua and the comprehensive Sahih Muslim 483 dua.
- Before sleeping — the bedtime dua and the night-worship dua.
- Throughout Ramadan, especially the last 10 nights — with extra emphasis on Allahumma innaka ‘Afuwwun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most powerful dua for forgiveness?
The most powerful is Sayyid al-Istighfar (the Master of Istighfar), narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari 6306. The Prophet ﷺ promised that whoever recites it during the day or night with firm faith and dies before the next morning or evening will be from the people of Paradise. Recite it morning and evening as a fixed habit.
How many times should I say Astaghfirullah daily?
The Prophet ﷺ said it more than seventy times a day, with some narrations reporting one hundred. There is no obligatory minimum, but a strong sunnah is three Astaghfirullahs after every fard salah (15 daily across the five prayers), plus 100 utterances at any point during the day. The longer form “Astaghfirullaha-lladhi la ilaha illa Hu…” carries the additional promise of forgiveness for major sins.
Can major sins be forgiven through dua?
Yes, with sincere repentance. The four conditions of valid tawbah are: stopping the sin immediately, regret for having committed it, firm intention not to return to it, and (for sins against another person) restoring or seeking forgiveness from that person. Allah says in the Quran: “Say: O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah — surely Allah forgives all sins.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)
What is the difference between Istighfar and Tawbah?
Istighfar is asking Allah’s forgiveness with the tongue. Tawbah is the inner act of turning back — stopping the sin, feeling regret, intending not to return. Istighfar is part of tawbah. The complete repentance is both: the words on the tongue, and the change in the heart and behavior.
What if I keep repeating the same sin?
Keep repeating the istighfar. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A servant commits a sin and says, ‘O Allah, forgive me my sin.’ Allah says, ‘My slave has committed a sin and knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them, so I have forgiven My slave.’ Then he commits another sin and seeks forgiveness again, and Allah forgives again…” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7507). Despair is itself a sin — never stop seeking forgiveness.
Can I make dua for forgiveness in English?
Yes. Du‘a in your own language is valid and rewarded. The Arabic forms above carry the most reward because they are the Quranic and Prophetic words, but Allah understands every language and accepts du‘a from a sincere heart in any tongue.
Related: Allahummaghfir lil Muslimina wal Muslimat — the broader dua for forgiveness covering all Muslim men and women — living and deceased — recited daily by the salaf.
