اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي جِدِّي وَهَزْلِي وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي
O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my ignorance, my extravagance in my affairs, and whatever You know better than I do. O Allah, forgive my seriousness and my jest, my unintentional errors and my intentional ones, and all of that is with me (i.e., comes from me).
Allahumma-ghfir li khatee'ati wa jahli wa israfi fi amri wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni. Allahumma-ghfir li jiddi wa hazli wa khata'i wa 'amdi wa kullu dhalika 'indi.
When to Read
This comprehensive dua is ideal for any moment you wish to seek Allah's forgiveness for your shortcomings. It is particularly powerful when you reflect on the human tendency to err — whether through genuine mistake, lack of knowledge, or even actions committed without full realization of their implications. Recite it during your daily istighfar, after prayers, or whenever you feel a need to cleanse your slate from known and unknown transgressions.
How to Read
Recite this dua with full presence of heart, acknowledging the vastness of Allah's knowledge and mercy. Understand that you are confessing your human fallibility — your unintentional errors, the things you do out of ignorance, and even the excesses you commit. Reflect on the humility of admitting that Allah knows your sins and shortcomings better than you yourself do. Make sure to pronounce the Arabic correctly to preserve its meaning and power.
Virtues & Benefits
This profound dua, taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself, covers a vast spectrum of human errors. By invoking it, you seek forgiveness for actions born of ignorance (jahli), unintentional mistakes (khata'i), extravagance (israfi), and even those sins you commit while jesting or being serious, and those that are hidden from your own awareness ('wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni'). It serves as a powerful reminder of Allah's encompassing knowledge and mercy, reinforcing the belief that no sin is too great for His forgiveness if sincerely sought. By admitting all these categories of sin, we humbly acknowledge our reliance on Allah's grace for purification and protection. The Prophet ﷺ's regular recitation of this dua highlights its importance and effectiveness in seeking comprehensive forgiveness from our Creator.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate with these words: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي جِدِّي وَهَزْلِي وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي “O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my ignorance, my extravagance in my affairs, and whatever You know better than I do. O Allah, forgive my seriousness and my jest, my unintentional errors and my intentional ones, and all of that is with me (i.e., comes from me).” — Sahih al-Bukhari 6399