The Quran teaches that no sin is too great for Allah to forgive when a person turns back to Him sincerely: "do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins." Repentance (tawbah) means stopping the wrong, regretting it, resolving not to return, and, where others were wronged, putting things right.
Key Takeaways
- Allah tells those who have sinned not to despair of His mercy, for He forgives all sins (Az-Zumar 39:53).
- Believers are commanded to "repent to Allah with sincere repentance" (At-Tahrim 66:8).
- Allah is more pleased with a servant's repentance than a traveller who finds his lost camel in the desert (Sahih Muslim 2747a).
- Scholars commonly describe sincere repentance as stopping the sin, regretting it, resolving not to return, and restoring any rights owed to others.
- Sayyid al-Istighfar, taught in Sahih al-Bukhari 6306, is described by the Prophet as the most superior way of asking forgiveness.
Never Despair of Allah's Mercy
Allah says: "Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful'" (Az-Zumar, 39:53, Sahih International). And: "And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful" (An-Nisa, 4:110, Sahih International).
Allah's Joy at Repentance
The Prophet described Allah as more pleased with the repentance of His servant than a man who loses his camel, carrying all his food and water, in a waterless desert, gives up hope, and then finds it standing before him (Sahih Muslim 2747a). In another narration, Allah says: "O son of Adam! Were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you, and I would not mind" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3540, graded Hasan by Darussalam).
The Steps of Sincere Repentance
- Stop the sin straight away.
- Feel genuine regret for having done it.
- Resolve sincerely not to return to it.
- Put right any wrong done to others, such as returning what was taken or asking forgiveness from someone you hurt.
This is how scholars commonly summarise sincere repentance, drawing on verses such as "repent to Allah with sincere repentance" (At-Tahrim, 66:8, Sahih International) and the description of believers who "remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins... and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know" (Aal-Imran, 3:135, Sahih International).
Bad Deeds Replaced with Good
The Quran promises more than forgiveness: "Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful" (Al-Furqan, 25:70, Sahih International).
Sayyid al-Istighfar: The Best Dua for Forgiveness
| Part | Dua |
|---|---|
| Arabic | اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ |
| Transliteration | Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bini'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u laka bidhanbi faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta |
| Translation | "O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You. You have created me, and I am Your servant, and I am faithful to Your covenant and promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me, and I admit my sins. So forgive me, for none forgives sins except You." |
| Source | Shaddad bin Aus reported the Prophet calling this "the most superior way of asking for forgiveness", and saying that whoever says it with firm faith during the day or night and dies before evening or morning will be among the people of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306) |
For the simpler everyday phrase Astaghfirullah, see our guide to common Islamic phrases. Repentance is closely tied to the heart that returns to Allah, described in our guide to 13 types of heart in the Quran, and to taqwa.
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