Seeking Forgiveness: Astaghfirullāh wa atūbu ilaih

QUESTION

Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaih

SHORT ANSWER

“Astaghfirullāh wa atūbu ilaih” means “I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him.” It may be recited as a supplication for forgiveness. Its basis is supported by Abu Hurayrah’s authentic report in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 6307: the Prophet ﷺ sought Allah’s forgiveness and repented to Him more than seventy times a day.

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2702a–b, mentions one hundred times a day, using different wording.

TRANSLATION

The formula: “I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him.”

The hadith: “By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”

NARRATOR

Abu Hurayrah (the principal report); al-Agharr al-Muzanī (Muslim 2702a–b); ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (Abū Dāwūd 1516), may Allah be pleased with them.

SOURCES AND SCHOLARS

Imam al-Bukhārī — Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Supplications, chapter on the Prophet’s seeking forgiveness by day and night, no. 6307.

Imam Muslim — Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Remembrance, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness, chapter recommending frequent seeking of forgiveness, no. 2702a–b.

Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī and Ibn Baṭṭāl (as quoted by Ibn Ḥajar) — Fatḥ al-Bārī, commentary on al-Bukhārī no. 6307.

Imam al-Nawawī — al-Minhāj Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 17/190–191, commentary on Muslim no. 2702.

SCHOLARLY COMMENTARY

1. Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī — Fatḥ al-Bārī, on no. 6307: He considers whether the statement describes an action or a spoken formula; other reported formulas support the latter possibility. Read the hadith commentary ↗

2. Ibn Baṭṭāl, quoted by Ibn Ḥajar — Fatḥ al-Bārī, on no. 6307: The prophets’ knowledge of Allah motivates intense worship, continual gratitude and acknowledgment of falling short in fulfilling His rights. Read the hadith commentary ↗

3. Imam al-Nawawī — al-Minhāj Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 17/190–191: He discusses interpretations of the Prophet’s seeking forgiveness, including servitude, dependence on Allah, humility and gratitude. Read the hadith commentary ↗

EXPLANATION

1. Distinguish the short formula from the complete hadith. The requested formula is suitable for remembrance. Al-Bukhārī places it within the Prophet’s statement about his daily practice. When quoting it as a hadith, give the complete text or identify it as an excerpt.

2. Preserve each report’s number. Al-Bukhārī no. 6307 says more than seventy times daily. Muslim no. 2702a mentions seeking forgiveness one hundred times; no. 2702b mentions repenting one hundred times daily. Do not replace the number in al-Bukhārī’s text with Muslim’s number.

3. Preserve wording and attribution. Abu Hurayrah narrates the principal al-Bukhārī report; al-Agharr al-Muzanī narrates Muslim 2702a–b. These are related authentic reports, with distinct texts and chains.

4. Correct the draft’s reference. Sunan Abī Dāwūd no. 1516, narrated by ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, records “Rabbi ighfir lī wa tub ʿalayya innaka anta al-Tawwāb al-Raḥīm” one hundred times in one gathering. Al-Albānī grades it sahih. It supports frequent seeking of forgiveness, but contains a different formula.

5. Recite with understanding and sincere repentance. This report does not assign the formula to the period after a particular prayer or promise a specific reward for it. Such prescriptions should not be attributed to this report.