«أخر عني يا عمر, إني خيرت فاخترت, قد قيل لي: {اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ} , لو أعلم أني لو زدت على السبعين غفر له لزدت»
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"O Umar, step back from me! I was given a choice, so I chose. It has been said to me: 'Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them.' [Surah at-Tawbah: 80] If I knew that he would be forgiven if I asked forgiveness more than seventy times, I would ask forgiveness even more than that."
Hadith Referenceصحیح الجامع الصغیر / حرف الألف / 227