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 بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ.
O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I adhere to Your covenant and Your promise as best as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I confess my sin. Forgive me, for there is none who forgives sins except You.
Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa anta. 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 bidhanbi, faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.
When to Read
This profound dua, known as Sayyidul Istighfar (the Master of Supplications for Forgiveness), is highly recommended to be recited in the morning and evening. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that whoever recites it with sincere belief during the day and passes away before evening, they will be among the people of Jannah. Likewise, if recited at night and they pass away before morning, they will also be among the people of Jannah. This emphasizes its immense virtue and the importance of making it a regular part of our daily remembrance.
How to Read
Recite this dua with full sincerity and heartfelt conviction. Understand the meaning of each phrase: acknowledging Allah as your Lord and Creator, admitting your servitude, reaffirming your commitment to His commands, seeking refuge from your wrongdoings, and humbly asking for His forgiveness. It is best recited when you are in a state of awareness, reflecting on your relationship with Allah. While there isn't a specific posture mandated, maintaining humility and focusing on the words themselves is key.
Virtues & Benefits
The primary benefit of reciting Sayyidul Istighfar is the immense reward promised by the Prophet ﷺ: entry into Paradise. The hadith states, 'Whoever says this dua during the day, and dies that day before the evening, he is of the people of Jannah. And whoever says it at night, and dies that night before the morning, he is of the people of Jannah.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). Beyond this ultimate reward, it serves as a powerful means of seeking Allah's forgiveness, acknowledging His absolute sovereignty, and recognizing our own dependence on Him. It reinforces humility and gratitude, reminding us of our shortcomings and Allah's boundless mercy.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 'The best form of seeking forgiveness (Istighfar) is to say: 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 بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ. (Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa anta. 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 bidhanbi, faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.) And whoever says it during the day and dies as a result of that day, before the evening comes, he is from the people of Paradise. And whoever says it at night and dies as a result of that night, before the morning comes, he is from the people of Paradise.' — Sahih al-Bukhari 6306