Duas for Forgiveness

As Muslims, we all commit sins and may sometimes stray from the right path, but it’s important to recognize when we have sinned and make sincere efforts to ask Allah (SWT) to forgive us. There are a few powerful duas for forgiveness that we can recite.

Being able to recognize when we have sinned is a blessing from Allah (SWT) and serves as guidance to repent. Istighfar is the act of seeking forgiveness.

In a hadith, Abu Hurairah (RA), a companion of the Prophet (PBUH) reported:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying: “By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”

(Hadith | Sahih Al-Bukhari)

It has been narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) sought forgiveness a hundred times daily, showing us the significance of this act.

Here are some duas to recite when asking Allah (SWT) for forgiveness.

Duas for Forgiveness

There are many supplications you can recite for forgiveness, here are just a few:

Recite Astaghfirullah more than 100 times

Seeking forgiveness is usually done by saying “Astaghfirullah” or the longer version “Astaghfirullāha rabbī wa-atūbu ilayhi.”

As a beloved Sunnah, the Prophet (PBUH) would say ‘Astaghfirullah’ more than 100 times daily, and this simple but powerful dua is one of the best duas for forgiveness.

Recite the following:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰه
Astaghfirullāh
I seek forgiveness in God

Or the longer version:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰهَ رَبِّي وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Astaghfirullāha rabbī wa-atūbu ilayhi
I seek the forgiveness of God, my Lord, and turn to him (in repentance).

Recite this verse from Surah Al-A’raf

You can recite the following verse from the Qur’an for forgiveness and mercy:

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْلَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الخَاسِرِينَ

Rabbana zalamna anfusana wa-in lam taghfir lana wa-tarhamna la-nakunanna minal-khasirin

Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be lost.

(Qur’an | Surah Al-A’raf | 7:23)

Dua for forgiveness and protection from hellfire

ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّافَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

Allazeena yaqooloona Rabbanaaa innanaaa aamannaa faghfir lanaazunoobanaa wa qinaa ‘azaaban Naar.

Our Lord! surely we believe, therefore forgive us our faults and save us from the chastisement of the fire.

(Qur’an | Surah Al-Imran | 3:16)

Dua for seeking forgiveness for yourself and others

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

Rabbana ghfirli wa liwalidayya wa lil mu’mineena yawma yaqumul hisab.

Our Lord, forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day of Reckoning.

Dua for seeking forgiveness for your parents

رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

Rabbir hamhumaa kamaa rabbayaanee sagheera

My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.

(Qur’an | Surah Al-Isra | 17:24)

Dua for forgiveness, removal of misdeeds, and to join the righteous when we die

رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأَبْرَارِ

Rabbana fa-ghfir lana zunuubana wa-kaffir anna sayyi-aatina wa-tafawwafaa maal-abrar

Our Lord! Forgive our sins, remove from us our misdeeds, and grant that we join the righteous when we die.

(Qur’an | Surah Al-Imran | 3:193)

Dua for forgiveness of past and future sins, those committed privately and publicly, and those we may not be aware of

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، أَنْتَ المُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ المُؤَخِّرُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِير

Allahumma-ghfir lii maa qaddamtu wa maa akh-khortu wa maa asrortu wa maa a’lantu wa maa anta a’lamu bihi minnii, anta Al-Muqaddimu wa anta Al-Muakh-khiru wa anta alaa kulli shai-in qadir.

O Allah! Forgive me for those sins which I committed in the past and that which I may commit in the future, the sins that I have committed in privacy or in public and all the sins of which You are better aware of it than I am of myself. You are The One who bring forward and reprieve as You wish and indeed You are over all things capable.

(Sahih Muslim)

Dua for forgiveness, removal of misdeeds, and to join the righteous when we die

رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأَبْرَارِ

Rabbana fa-ghfir lana zunuubana wa-kaffir anna sayyi-aatina wa-tafawwafaa maal-abrar

Our Lord! Forgive our sins, remove from us our misdeeds, and grant that we join the righteous when we die.

(Qur’an | Surah Al-Imran | 3:193)

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