✿ The Virtue of Abundant Istighfār in Ramadan from Qur'an and Hadith ✿
✍ Authored by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salaam (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Istighfār (seeking forgiveness from Allah) holds immense virtue in the blessed month of Ramadan, as it is a month in which Allah ﷻ forgives countless sins, grants freedom from the Hellfire, and opens the gates of Paradise. Therefore, we should increase in istighfār during this sacred month so we may become deserving of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
Allah ﷻ says:
"وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ"
(Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 20)
Translation: “And seek forgiveness from Allah; indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Istighfār becomes even more virtuous in Ramadan as it leads to Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
Allah ﷻ says:
"وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ"
(Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt: 18)
Translation: “And in the hours before dawn, they seek forgiveness.”
The time of suḥūr in Ramadan is particularly blessed for istighfār, as it is a time of divine mercy and acceptance.
Prophet Nūḥ (ʿalayhis-salām) said to his people:
"فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا، يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا، وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا"
(Sūrat Nūḥ: 10–12)
Translation:
"So I said: Seek forgiveness from your Lord. Indeed, He is ever Forgiving. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers, and increase you in wealth and children, and provide you with gardens and rivers."
Istighfār not only leads to the forgiveness of sins but also brings worldly success and increased sustenance.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred (100) times a day."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2702)
If the Prophet ﷺ did so, then how much more should we increase our istighfār in the sacred month of Ramadan?
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward, his past sins will be forgiven."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 38, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 760)
Ramadan is a month of forgiveness; hence, one should engage in istighfār frequently to attain pardon from sins.
Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Every night of Ramadan, Allah frees some people from Hell, and on the last night, He forgives the greatest number."
(Musnad Aḥmad: 7924, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1883)
We should value every moment of Ramadan and persist in istighfār to be among those freed from the Fire by Allah’s grace.
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها asked the Prophet ﷺ, “If I find Laylat al-Qadr, what should I supplicate?”
He ﷺ replied:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
"O Allah! You are Most Forgiving, You love to forgive, so forgive me."
(Tirmidhī: 3513)
This supplication should be recited abundantly during the last nights of Ramadan, especially on Laylat al-Qadr.
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
"I seek forgiveness from Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer—and I turn to Him in repentance."
(Tirmidhī: 3577)
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ…
"O Allah! You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I uphold Your covenant and promise to the best of my ability…"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6306)
❖ Ramadan is the month of forgiveness; those who engage in istighfār are granted pardon.
❖ The Qur’an and Hadith highlight numerous virtues of istighfār.
❖ The Prophet ﷺ himself would seek forgiveness a hundred times daily.
May Allah grant us the ability to make abundant istighfār and purify us from our sins. Āmīn!
✍ Authored by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salaam (ḥafiẓahullāh)
❖ Virtue of Istighfār in the Blessed Month of Ramadan
Istighfār (seeking forgiveness from Allah) holds immense virtue in the blessed month of Ramadan, as it is a month in which Allah ﷻ forgives countless sins, grants freedom from the Hellfire, and opens the gates of Paradise. Therefore, we should increase in istighfār during this sacred month so we may become deserving of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
◈ Virtue of Istighfār in Light of the Qur’an
① A Means to Attain Allah’s Forgiveness and Mercy
Allah ﷻ says:
"وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ"
(Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 20)
Translation: “And seek forgiveness from Allah; indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Istighfār becomes even more virtuous in Ramadan as it leads to Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.
② Those Who Seek Forgiveness in the Last Part of the Night Are Beloved to Allah
Allah ﷻ says:
"وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ"
(Sūrat adh-Dhāriyāt: 18)
Translation: “And in the hours before dawn, they seek forgiveness.”
The time of suḥūr in Ramadan is particularly blessed for istighfār, as it is a time of divine mercy and acceptance.
③ Istighfār as a Source of Blessings in Provision, Mercy, and Rain
Prophet Nūḥ (ʿalayhis-salām) said to his people:
"فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا، يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا، وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا"
(Sūrat Nūḥ: 10–12)
Translation:
"So I said: Seek forgiveness from your Lord. Indeed, He is ever Forgiving. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers, and increase you in wealth and children, and provide you with gardens and rivers."
Istighfār not only leads to the forgiveness of sins but also brings worldly success and increased sustenance.
◈ Virtue of Istighfār in Ramadan According to Hadith
① The Prophet ﷺ Himself Frequently Engaged in Istighfār
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred (100) times a day."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2702)
If the Prophet ﷺ did so, then how much more should we increase our istighfār in the sacred month of Ramadan?
② Promise of Forgiveness in Ramadan
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward, his past sins will be forgiven."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 38, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 760)
Ramadan is a month of forgiveness; hence, one should engage in istighfār frequently to attain pardon from sins.
③ Announcement of Forgiveness on the Last Night of Ramadan
Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Every night of Ramadan, Allah frees some people from Hell, and on the last night, He forgives the greatest number."
(Musnad Aḥmad: 7924, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1883)
We should value every moment of Ramadan and persist in istighfār to be among those freed from the Fire by Allah’s grace.
◈ Sunnah Supplications of Istighfār in Ramadan
① The Best Duʿāʾ
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها asked the Prophet ﷺ, “If I find Laylat al-Qadr, what should I supplicate?”
He ﷺ replied:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
"O Allah! You are Most Forgiving, You love to forgive, so forgive me."
(Tirmidhī: 3513)
This supplication should be recited abundantly during the last nights of Ramadan, especially on Laylat al-Qadr.
② The Most Comprehensive Istighfār
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
"I seek forgiveness from Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer—and I turn to Him in repentance."
(Tirmidhī: 3577)
③ Sayyid al-Istighfār (The Chief of Istighfār)
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ…
"O Allah! You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I uphold Your covenant and promise to the best of my ability…"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6306)
Conclusion: Why Should We Increase Istighfār in Ramadan?
❖ Ramadan is the month of forgiveness; those who engage in istighfār are granted pardon.
❖ The Qur’an and Hadith highlight numerous virtues of istighfār.
❖ The Prophet ﷺ himself would seek forgiveness a hundred times daily.
May Allah grant us the ability to make abundant istighfār and purify us from our sins. Āmīn!
