Making Istifighar And Repenting From Sins

أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي اليَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً

Narrated Abu Huraira: 

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "By Allah! I make istighfar (ask for forgiveness) from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day."

Narrated in Bukhari (No: 6307)

Grade: Sahih (authentic)

Translation adapted from sunnah.com

Lessons:

1. The origin of the word غفر (ghafr) is ستر (sitr), which means to cover or to protect from sins. Making istighfar is to seek forgiveness and the removal of sins.

2. Even though Rasulullah (ﷺ) was maksum (forgiven and safeguarded from past and future sins), he still sought forgiveness from Allah SWT and repented to Him more than 70 times every day.

3. As part of Rasulullah’s ummah (followers) who are not free from sinning, it is essential for us to always seek forgiveness and constantly repent to Allah SWT.