اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي كُلَّهَا، دَقَّهَا وَجِلَّهَا، أَوَّلَهَا وَآخِرَهَا، سِرَّهَا وَعَلانِيَتَهَا، أَوَّلَ الذَّنْبِ وَآخِرَهُ
O Allah, forgive me my sins, all of them, the minor and the major, the first and the last, the secret and the public, the first of the sin and the last.
Allahumma-ghfir li khatee'ati kullahā, diqqahā wa jillahā, awwalahā wa ākhiraha, sirrahā wa 'alāniyyatahā, awwala-dh-dhanbi wa ākhirahu
When to Read
This comprehensive dua for forgiveness is particularly poignant for the elderly. As years pass, one accumulates a lifetime of actions, and the tongue is often a source of unintended transgressions – gossip, harsh words, backbiting, or even idle talk. Reciting this dua regularly, perhaps after prayers or before sleeping, allows for a deep reflection on past words and a sincere plea for Allah's mercy, ensuring one leaves this world with a clean slate.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention and a humble heart, acknowledging your shortcomings. It's best recited after completing your obligatory prayers or at any time you feel the need for repentance. Visualizing Allah's forgiveness and contemplating the vastness of His mercy can enhance the sincerity of your supplication. This is not just a ritual; it's a conversation with your Creator, seeking His pardon for all your past mistakes, especially those committed through speech.
Virtues & Benefits
Seeking Allah's forgiveness encompasses all sins, both big and small, open and secret. For the elderly, this dua offers a profound sense of peace and hope, as it promises comprehensive absolution. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that sincere repentance erases past sins. By making this dua, one actively seeks to purify their record before Allah, acknowledging that our words, often spoken carelessly, carry weight and require divine forgiveness.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). In another narration, he said: 'O people, turn to Allah and repent to Him, for I repent to Allah one hundred times a day.' (Sahih Muslim 270A). The dua itself, 'Allahumma-ghfir li khatee'ati kullahā, diqqahā wa jillahā, awwalahā wa ākhiraha, sirrahā wa 'alāniyyatahā, awwala-dh-dhanbi wa ākhirahu' is found in Sahih Muslim 723, attributed to the Prophet ﷺ asking Allah for comprehensive forgiveness.