'Astaghfirullah' is a short phrase meaning 'I seek Allah's forgiveness', a very familiar dhikr among Muslims. On Channel i Online's religion page, Farzia Hossain writes that in the Quran and Hadith istighfar is about more than the forgiveness of sins: repentance, Allah's mercy and the hope of good are bound up with it.
In verse 10 of Surah Nuh, the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) tells his people to ask their Lord's forgiveness, for He is Most Forgiving; verses 11 and 12 speak of blessings through rain, wealth and children. But the writer cautions that this does not mean saying 'Astaghfirullah' guarantees a set amount of money or any particular wish; the core teaching is to return to Allah and hope for His mercy.
Sahih al-Bukhari records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sought Allah's forgiveness and repented more than 70 times a day, and another authentic report mentions 100 times. This shows, the writer says, that istighfar is not only for sinners but an important practice for drawing near to Allah. Verse 53 of Surah Az-Zumar says Allah forgives all sins and forbids despairing of His mercy.
Saying the words and sincerely seeking forgiveness are not the same, she writes: repentance means turning away from the sin, feeling remorse and trying not to return to it, and where someone's rights have been violated, making amends or compensation where possible. Istighfar can be made at any time, after prayer, before sleep, during work or whenever a mistake comes to mind.
Photo: Looi / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Source: Channel i Online
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