Allah, the Exalted, is the Most Forgiving, and in His infinite mercy, has provided us pathways to seek His pardon. This profound mercy is evident in numerous duas (supplications), including those recited by prophets as revealed in the Holy Quran.
Allah ﷻ, in His boundless mercy and wisdom, has opened countless doors for His servants to return to Him. Forgiveness (مغفرة) is one of the central themes in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized it as a daily spiritual practice. The Qur’an also records the heartfelt duas (supplications) of the Prophets, showing us how they turned to Allah with humility, repentance, and sincerity.
1.Sayyidul Istighfar (The Master Du’a for Seeking Forgiveness)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is to say…”
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَىٰ 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
[Sahih al-Bukhari 6306]
Transliteration:
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 ‘alayy, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta.
Translation:
“O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no deity but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I abide by Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I confess my sins to You. So forgive me, for no one forgives sins except You.”
2.Dua by Prophet Adam and Hawwa (Eve)
After their mistake, Prophet Adam and Hawwa turned to Allah with this sincere plea:
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
(Surah Al-A’raf 7:23)
Transliteration:
Rabbana ẓalamna anfusana wa in lam taghfir lana wa tarḥamna lanakunanna minal-khāsirīn.
Translation:
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”
3. Du’a of Prophet Yunus (ʿalayhi as-salām)
Prophet Yunus’s prayer while he was in the belly of the whale is another poignant example of asking Allah for forgiveness:
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ
أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Transliteration: “Wa thannooni ith thahaba mughadiban fathanna an lan naqdira AAalayhi fanada fee aththulumati an la ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu mina aththalimeen”
Translation: “And [remember] the Man of the Fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, ‘There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'” [Quran: Al Anbiya 21:87]
These duas echo across time, encapsulating the despair, hope, and profound sense of repentance that accompanies the plea for divine forgiveness. We, too, can utilize these prophetic words when sincerely seeking the forgiveness of Allah in our prayers.
4. Du’a of Prophet Musa (ʿalayhi as-salām)
In the Holy Quran, we find a heartfelt supplication for forgiveness spoken by Prophet Musa alaih asalam. This prayer was made in the aftermath of an unintentional act, leading to a man’s death:
رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي
Transliteration: “Rabbi inni zalamtu nafsi faghfir li”
Translation: “My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me.” [Quran: Al-Qasas 28:16] [ref]
Upon this plea, it is revealed that Allah forgave him. This event is a powerful reminder that even when we falter, Allah’s mercy is near – available for those who sincerely repent.
5. Du’a of Prophet Sulayman (ʿalayhi as-salām)
One of the heartfelt pleas for Divine Mercy and forgiveness was presented by Prophet Daud (PBUH) in a moment of remorsefulness. His plea is preserved in the Holy Quran:
قال رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Transliteration: “Rabbi ighfir li wahab li mulkan la yanbaghi li-ahadin min baAAdi innaka anta alwahhab”
Translation: “My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.” [Quran: Sad 38:35]
Endowed with a kingdom that none after him would possess, Prophet Daud (PBUH) never forgot to remain humble, continually seeking the forgiveness of his Lord.
Relating to these holy prophecies and their duas is a comfort blanket sown with the threads of relief, forgiveness, and hope. Make these supplications your echo in times of remorse and reflection, and learn that you are never too lost or too far to return to the forgiving embrace of Allah s.w.t.
Duas for forgiveness from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) sourced from the Hadiths:
6. Daily Du’a for Forgiveness (from Hadith)
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged us to seek forgiveness regularly:
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
(Sunan Abu Dawood 1517; graded Sahih by Ibn Hibban)
Transliteration:
Astaghfirullaha alladhi la ilaha illa huwa al-ḥayyul-qayyum wa atubu ilayh.
Translation:
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence, and I turn to Him in repentance.”
These Qur’anic and Prophetic supplications remind us that even the most righteous of creation sought Allah’s forgiveness. If the Prophets, whose ranks are the highest among creation, humbled themselves before Allah with such words, how much more should we?
Let us make these duas part of our regular worship. Turn to Allah with sincerity, and remember:
وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ
“Who forgives sins except Allah?”
(Surah Aal ‘Imran 3:135)