استغفار

It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By Allah, I seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy (70) times a day."

(Bukhari)

Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) is a special kind of supplication — that is, asking Allah to pardon and forgive one's sins and shortcomings. Allah has made istighfar the antidote to the poison of sins; every sin, from the least to the gravest, that relates to the rights of Allah is forgiven through repentance and istighfar.

It is quite mistaken to think that repentance and istighfar are the work of sinners alone and that the prophets have no need of them. The truth is that Allah's special servants — even the prophets (peace be upon them), who were protected and sinless — were such that, after doing everything, they still felt they had not fulfilled the due of Allah's worship, and so they used to repent and seek forgiveness. Every Muslim knows that the Master of both worlds ﷺ was utterly sinless and pure, yet even so he ﷺ was assiduous in seeking forgiveness abundantly, as this hadith too shows.

In any case, repentance and istighfar are a means of forgiveness and mercy for the disobedient and sinful, and for those near to Allah and the sinless a means of endless progress in the ranks of nearness and belovedness. So one should make a habit of istighfar while walking and moving, sitting and standing. May Allah grant us the understanding and certainty of these realities and the ability to benefit from them (Ameen).