Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Shaddad bin Aws narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The chief of supplications for forgiveness (Sayyid al-Istighfar) is that a servant should say: O Allah! You are my Lord, and I am Your servant. There is no deity except You. You created me and I am Your servant. I begin the morning upon Your promise and Your covenant as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me, and I confess my sins before You, so forgive me, for surely none forgives sins except You. Bukhari 6306. Ahmad 122

Hazrat Shaddad bin Aus narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: Shall I not guide you to the chief supplication for seeking forgiveness (Sayyidul Istighfar)? You should say these words: O Allah! You are my Lord. There is no deity except You. You created me and I am Your servant. And I strive to fulfill Your promise and covenant as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done, and I acknowledge Your blessings upon me, and I confess my sins before You, so forgive me. For surely, none forgives sins except You. There is no servant who says these words during the day, and then dies before evening comes, or says them in the evening and then dies before morning comes, except that he will be among the people of Paradise.

Hazrat Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about the sharpness and harshness of my tongue, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then where is your seeking forgiveness? (Why do you not seek forgiveness?) Surely, I seek forgiveness from Allah one hundred times every day.

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Indeed, I seek repentance and forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day.

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that we used to count these words spoken by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in one gathering, and they would be one hundred times: O my Lord! Forgive me, and accept my repentance. Surely, You are the Acceptor of repentance and the Most Forgiving.

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You people should repent to your Lord. Indeed, I repent a hundred times in a day."

Hazrat Abu Burdah’s father narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came while we were sitting. So he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: I have never entered the morning except that I sought forgiveness in it one hundred times.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Shaqiq narrates that Hazrat Abu Darda used to say: Glad tidings are for the person in whose book of deeds there is even a portion of seeking forgiveness.

Hazrat Abu Sadiq Al-Naji narrates that Hazrat Abu Saeed Al-Khudri said: Whoever recites these words of forgiveness five times: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, besides whom there is no deity, He is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, and I repent to Him," his sins are forgiven even if they are as much as the foam of the sea.

Hazrat Abu Burdah narrates that I was sitting in the mosque of Kufa with an elder from among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He said that I heard or he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O people! Repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, I repent and seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day. Abu Burdah says: I recited twice, "O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness." That companion said: This is exactly what I am instructing you to do.

Hazrat Mu'adh bin Jabal narrates: Whoever recites the words of forgiveness three times in this way: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, besides whom there is no deity; He is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all. And I repent to Him for my sins." That person is forgiven, even if he had fled from the battlefield.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whoever recites the words of forgiveness three times as follows: I seek forgiveness from Allah, besides whom there is no deity, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all, and I repent to Him for my sins. Then that person's sins are forgiven, even if he had fled from the battlefield.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whoever recites these words, "Allah is free from all defects, is Great, and is with His praise," then because of this statement, a tree is planted for that person in Paradise.