Seeking forgiveness

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta rabbi, la ilaha illa ant. Khalaqtani wa ana 'abduk, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata't. A'udhu bika min sharri ma sana't. Abu'u laka bi ni'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant.

O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I hold to my covenant and promise to You as far as I am able. I seek Your protection from the harm of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says it with conviction during the day and dies before evening, or during the night and dies before morning, is among the people of Paradise. For that reason many say it each morning and evening.

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilayh

I ask Allah's forgiveness and I turn back to Him in repentance.

The Prophet ﷺ said he sought forgiveness more than seventy times a day (Sahih al-Bukhari), and that he turned to Allah in repentance a hundred times a day (Sahih Muslim).

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

Rabbighfir li wa tub 'alayya, innaka antat-tawwabur-rahim

My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance. You are the One who always accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.

Ibn 'Umar counted the Prophet ﷺ saying this a hundred times in one gathering. At-Tirmidhi's wording ends “at-tawwabul-ghafur” (the Accepter of repentance, the Forgiving).

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullahal-ladhi la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyumu wa atubu ilayh

I ask forgiveness of Allah, besides whom there is no god, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all, and I turn to Him in repentance.

The hadith promises forgiveness to the one who says it, even for grave sins. At-Tirmidhi's wording adds “al-'Azim” (the Magnificent) after the name of Allah.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa fa'fu 'anni

O Allah, You are the One who pardons and You love to pardon, so pardon me.

The Prophet ﷺ taught this to 'A'ishah when she asked what to say if she found Laylat al-Qadr. Some copies of at-Tirmidhi add “karim” (Generous).

وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

Wa qul rabbighfir warham wa anta khayrur-rahimin

And (O Muhammad) say: My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for Thou art Best of all who show mercy.