Istighfar: 19 Duas for Asking Allah’s Forgiveness

لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ

Lā ilāha illā Anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina-ẓ-ẓālimīn.

There is no god worthy of worship except You; You are free from all imperfection. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.

رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي

Rabbi innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfirlī.

My Lord, I have certainly wronged myself, so forgive me.

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbanā ẓalamnā anfusanā wa il-lam taghfir lanā wa tarḥamnā la-nakūnanna minal-khāsīrīn.

Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be amongst the losers.

أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ

Anta Walliyyunā fa-ghfir lanā war-ḥamnā wa Anta khayrul-ghāfirīn.

You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us. You are the best of those who forgive.

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbanā in-nanā āmannā fa-ghfir lanā dhunūbanā wa qinā ʿadhāba-n-nār.

Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Rabbi-ghfir wa-rḥam wa Anta khayru-r-rāḥimīn.

My Lord, forgive and have mercy. You are the Best of those who are merciful.

رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbi innī aʿūdhu bika an as’alaka mā laysa lī bihī ʿilm, wa il-lā taghfir lī wa tarḥamnī aku-m-mina-l-khāsīrīn.

My Lord, I seek Your protection from asking You anything about which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I shall be amongst the losers.

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

Rabbana-ghfir lanā wa li-ikhwānina-l-ladhīna sabaqūnā bil-īmān, wa lā tajʿal fī qulūbinā ghilla-l-lil-ladhīna āmanū Rabbanā innaka Ra’ūfu-r-Raḥīm.

Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith. Do not put in our hearts any hatred toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are the Most Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful.

رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Rabbanā atmim lanā nūranā wa-ghfir lanā innaka ʿalā kulli shay’in Qadīr.

Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are All-Powerful over everything.

Sayyid al-Istighfar — the Master Dua

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، وَأَنَا عَلَىٰ عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ ، أَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوْءُ بِذَنْبِيْ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma Anta Rabbī, lā ilāha illā Ant, khalaqtanī wa ana ʿabduk, wa ana ʿalā ʿahdika wa waʿdika mā’staṭaʿt, aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣanaʿt, abū’u laka bi niʿmatika ʿalayya wa abū’u bi-dhambī fa-ghfir lī fa-innahū lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant.

O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I am under Your covenant and pledge (to fulfil it) to the best of my ability. I seek Your protection from the evil that I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I admit my sins. Forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.

Confess Every Sin, Named and Unnamed

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِيْ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ جَمِيْعًا ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاهْدِنِيْ لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِيْ لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ، وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِيْ يَدَيْكَ ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ ، أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ

Allāhumma Antal-Maliku lā ilāha illā Ant, Anta Rabbī wa ana ʿabduk, ẓalamtu nafsī waʿtaraftu bi-dhambī, fa-ghfir lī dhunūbī jamīʿā, innahū lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant, wa-hdinī li-aḥsani-l-akhlāqi lā yahdī li-aḥsanihā illā Ant, wa-ṣrif ʿannī sayyi’ahā lā yaṣrifu ʿannī sayyi’ahā illā Ant, labbayka wa saʿdayk, wal-khayru kulluhū fī yadayk, wa-sh-sharru laysa ilayk, ana bika wa ilayk, tabārakta wa taʿālayt, astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilayk.

O Allah, You are the King, there is no god worthy of worship except You. You are my Lord and I am Your slave. I have wronged myself and I confess my sins. Forgive all of my sins; indeed no one forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of character, for no one guides to the best of it except You; and turn the evil of it away from me, for no one turns it away except You. Here I am at Your service, seeking Your pleasure; all good is in Your hands and no evil is attributed to You. I am from You and I am returning to You. You are Most Blessed and You are Most Exalted. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.

Ask Forgiveness for What You Did in Jest and in Earnest

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ خَطِيْئَتِيْ وَجَهْلِيْ وَإِسْرَافِيْ فِيْ أَمْرِيْ ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ جِدِّيْ وَهَزْلِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ وَكُلُّ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّـيْ ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

Allāhumma-ghfirlī khaṭī’atī wa jahlī wa isrāfī fī amrī, wa mā Anta aʿlamu bihī minnī, Allāhumma-ghfir lī jiddī wa hazlī wa khaṭa’ī wa ʿamdī wa kullu dhālika ʿindī, Allāhumma-ghfirlī mā qaddamtu wa mā akh-khart, wa mā asrartu wa mā aʿlant, wa mā Anta aʿlamu bihī minnī, Anta-l-Muqaddimu wa Anta-l-Muakh-khir, wa Anta ʿalā kulli shay’in Qadīr.

O Allah, forgive my mistakes, ignorance, transgression in my matters, and what You are more Knowledgeable of than me. O Allah, forgive me for what I did in earnestness and in jest; unintentionally or intentionally; as I have committed all of these (types of sins). O Allah, forgive me for what I have already done, what I am yet to do, what I did publicly, what I did privately, and what You are more Knowledgeable of than me. You are the One who brings forward and You are the One who defers. You are All-Powerful over everything.

Ask the Ever-Pardoning to Pardon You

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيْمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّيْ

Allāhumma innaka ʿAffuwwun Karīmun tuḥibb-ul-ʿafwa faʿfu ʿannī.

O Allah, You are the Ever-Pardoning, the Generous; You love to pardon so pardon me.

Ask by the Lord of Muhammad ﷺ

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ مُحَمَّدٍ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَأَعِذْنِيْ مِنْ مُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ

Allāhumma Rabba Muḥammad, ighfir lī dhambī, wa adh-hib ghayẓa qalbī, wa aʿidhnī min muḍillāti-l-fitan.

O Allah, Lord of Muḥammad forgive my sins, remove the anger of my heart and protect me from misleading trials.

Ask Forgiveness for Every Sin, Small and Great

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ كُلَّهُ ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ ، وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ

Allāhumma-ghfir lī dhambī kullah, diqqahū wa jillah, wa awwalahū wa ākhirah, wa ʿalāniyatahū wa sirrah.

O Allah, forgive for me all of my sins: the minor and major, the first and the last, the public and the private.

I Have Wronged Myself Greatly

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا ، وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ ، وَارْحَمْنِيْ ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ

Allāhumma innī ẓalamtu nafsī ẓulman kathīrā, wa lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant, fa-ghfir lī maghfirata-m-min ʿindik, war-ḥamnī, innaka Anta-l-Ghafūru-r-Raḥīm.

O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly and no one forgives sins except You; so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy upon me. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Forgiveness, Mercy, Wellbeing, Guidance and Provision

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ، وَارْحَمْنِيْ ، وَعَافِنيْ ، وَاهْدِنِيْ وَارْزُقْنِيْ

Allāhumma-ghfir lī, war-ḥamnī, wa ʿāfinī, wah-dinī war-zuqnī.

O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me wellbeing, guide me and grant me sustenance.

Wash Away My Sins Like a White Cloth

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِيْ وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ

Allāhumma bāʿid baynī wa bayna khaṭāyāya kamā bāʿadta bayna-l-mashriqi wa-l-maghrib, Allāhumma naq-qinī min khaṭāyāya kamā yunaq-qa-th-thawbul-abyaḍu mina-d-danas, Allāhumma-ghsilnī min khaṭāyāya bil-māi’ wa-th-thalji wal-barad.

O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purify me from my sins as white cloth is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with snow, water and hail.

Forgive All Believing Men and Women

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

Allāhumma-ghfir lil-mu’minīna wa-l-mu’mināt.

O Allah, forgive the believing men and the believing women.