Forgiveness for mistakes and sins

Allah forgives Mistakes and Sins
When we ever made a mistake, as hang to our father or bothering our brother then realized our error and felt sorry for it. Have we ever thought that we disobeyed Allah when we annoyed our father or mother and got our self in trouble.We should always remember that by making errors and committing sins, We expose ourself to Allah’s punishment in this life and the next life. This is why We should feel sorry for making mistakes and wish that We had not made them. Then, when we wish to end our feelings of guilt and sorrow, know that Allah forgives sins. So, always ask Him to forgive our mistakes and errors, and know that He promised to accept the supplication from us.
Allah is the only One Who forgives sins and mistakes. He is also the Most Generous, because He does not expose the believers who commit sins in front of His creation. He also saves them from the punishment for these mistakes if they ask for His forgiveness.
Allah said,
In Surah Al-Imran verse 135
None has a greater forgiveness than Allah and His mercy embraces all things. No one can give mercy to those who make mistakes except Allah. Only Allah, our Lord, forgives sins.
Hadith
According to Abu Huraira (R.A) Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) told "Once a man committed an error and said, `O Lord! I committed an error, so forgive me.' Allah said, `My servant knew that he has a Lord Who forgives or punishes for the error. I have forgiven My servant.' The man committed once again and said same words. I have forgiven My servant.' The man committed another error and said again the same words Allah forgave him the third time and then four times. Allah again forgave him and said ,'' so let him do whatever he likes''
Istighfaar
"Istighfaar means to ask Allah to forgive you for a sin or mistake that you have made.''
This is so that He hides your mistake from people and does not punish you for it. People make many mistakes, and this is why they should always ask Allah to forgive them so that He will give them His mercy.
Allah said in Al-Nisa verse 110
"And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving"
Sometimes Allah orders His slaves to ask Him to forgive them.
As Allah says in Surrah Muzzamal verse 20
“And ask Allah for His forgiveness. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
It is said that remember Him and seek forgiveness from Him often for all of your matters. For verily, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful to whoever seeks His forgiveness. .
And Allah said,
“Seek the forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance.”
“And all of you turn to Allah in
repentance, O believers, so that you maybe successful.” (24:31)
In other Verses, Allah says good things about those who always seek His forgiveness. For example, Allah said,
“And those who seek Allah’s forgiveness in the last hours of the night.” (3:17)
And He said, “And those who, when they have committed Faakishah (illegal sexual acts) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins. And none can forgive sins but Allah” (3:135)
In other Verses, Allah commands His
Honorable Messenger to ask Him to forgive him and the rest of the Muslims,
Allah said in surah Muhammad (PBUH)
“And ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the . sin of the believing men and believing women.”
Hadith
Holy Prorhet (PBUH) always prayed as
"O Allah, forgive my sin, my ignorance, my immoderation in my affairs, and all that You know better about my faults than myself." O Allah, forgive for me my joking, my seriousness, my unintended error, and my mistakes -- and I have done of all that.
Hadith
It is also reported in the Sahih that HolyProphet (PBUH) used to say at the end of the prayer,
" O Allah, forgive for me what I have previously done, what I may commit in future, what I have committed secretly, what I have committed openly, what I have done excessively, and all sins that You know better than me. You are my God. There is no true God except You. It is also recorded in the Sahih that he used to say,
O people! Repent to your Lord! Verily, I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times every day."
Allah says in Al-Naisa :106
“And seek the forgiveness of Allah, certainly Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Allah says that Those people who are concerning their proclamation of faith, by performing the difficult deeds are patient while performing acts of obedience and abandoning the prohibitions.
They beg Allah's pardon in the last hours of the night and this testifies to the virtue of seeking Allah's forgiveness in the latter part of the night. "
Hadith
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) said
"Every night, when the last third of it remains, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends to the lowest heaven saying, "Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his invocation Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him''
Two Sahihs
Hadith
The Two Sahihs recorded that `Hazrat A'ishah (R.A) said, "The Messenger of Allah(PBUH)  performed Witr during the first part, the middle and latter parts of the night. Then, later in his life , he would perform it only during the latter part.'' `Abdullah bin `Umar used to pray during the latter part of the night would start supplicating to Allah and seeking His forgiveness until dawn.

Ibn Abi Hatim.

Tauba Istighfar

Istighfaar

Muslims are required to seek Istighfaar often and repeat it with the tongue and heart.
The Holy Prophet said,
“Whoever says, "Astaghfirul-laahal- lathee laa ilaaha illaa Huwal-Hayyul- Qayyoomu wa atoobu ilayh. ''
I seek the forgiveness of Allah, the only true God, the Ever Living, Who sustains all that exists, and I repent to Him.Then his sins will be forgiven, even if he had run away from the battle.”
So, Allah does not only forgive small sins and errors by Istighfaar, but lie also forgives major sins, such as running away
evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins and none ean forgive sins but Allah and do not persist in what wrong they have done, while they know’.” (3:135)
Conditions of Valid Istighfaar
There are several conditions for honest Istighfaar so that Allah forgives the sin.
First, one has to stop making the mistake and avoid the sin that he is asking Allah to forgive. Next, one should be intent on not repeating the sin, because Allah has promised that lie will forgive those who want His forgiveness, if they do not continue committing the mistake. Otherwise, Istighfaar will be just a game if one insists on committing the same errors over and over again. Allah said,
“..and do not persist in what they have done.” (3:135)
This is in reference to those who do not insist on doing the wrong they have done. Instead, they admit that they have committed an error and seek Allah’s forgiveness for it. Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas
praying,
‘Subhaanaka Rabbanaa wa bi- hamdika, Allaahum-maghfirlee.’
I exalt You, our Lord, above all unsuitable things aseribed to You, and all the praises are for You. O Allah! Forgive me.”’
In another Hadeeth from the Prophet said,
Subhaanak-Allaahumma Rabbanaa wa-bihamdika Allaahum-maghfirlee
"I honor You, O Allah, from all unsuitable things ascribed to You. O Our Lord! And all the praises are for You. O Allah! Forgive me.”
The Holy Prophet used to say this Du‘aa’ while making Rukoo‘ and Sujood.
whenever the Messenger of Allah finished the prayer, he would make Istighfaar saying Astaghfirul-laah three times. He would then say,
“Allaahumma Antas-Salaam, wa minkas-salaam, tabaarakta yaa Thal-Jalaali wal-Ikraam.
"You are As-Salaam, and from You comes the peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of grace and generosity.”
Hadith
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) said, “One says, Astaghfirullah,"
It is the best Istighfaar during the day and by night
Shaddaad bin Aws said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said
“The best of all Istighfaar is for the worshipper to say, ‘Allaahumma Anta Rabbee, laa ilaaha illaa Anta, khalaqtanee, wa anaa ‘abduk, wa anaa ‘alaa ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika masta-ta‘tu. A‘oothu bika min sharri maa sana‘t. Aboo’u laka bi-ni‘matika ‘alayya, wa aboo’u bi-thanbee, faghfir lee, fa-innahu laa yaghfiruth- thunooba illaa Anta.’
" Allah! You are my Lord, there is no deity worthy of worship exeept You. You Alone created me, and I am Your slave, and I intend to fulfil Your
Covenant, as much as I can, so that I receive Your Promise (forgiveness and Paradise). I seek refuge with You from the evil that I have done. I admit to You Your Favor on me, and I admit the evil deeds that I have committed. So forgive me my sins, for indeed, there is none besides You who can forgive sins".
The person who says these words during the day, with sincerity, and dies during that day before he reaches the night, will be among the people of Paradise. He who says these words during the night, with sincerity, and dies before he reaches the day, will be among the people of Paradise.”
This Hadeeth contains several good statements: declaring Allah’s Oneness, that He created everything, that He took the promise from His slaves to worship Him Alone, hoping in what He has promised, seeking His protection against the evil results of one’s mistakes, saying that all favors come from Him Alone, admitting the sins that one has committed, asking for His forgiveness and stating that only Allah can forgive sins. This is why the Holy Prophet called this Hadeeth the best of all Istighfaar.
There is a good reward from Allah for the person who says Istighfaar on the day of Jumidah (Friday).
Hadith
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah(PBUH) said,
“There is an hour during Friday,” (and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) made a gesture with his hand to show how short that hour is,) “that if any Muslim seeks Allah’s goodness (says Istighfaar) while standing in prayer, then Allah will bestow upon him.”
y) Istighfaar in the last parts of the night
There is a special virtue for saying Istighfaar in the last part of the night.
Allah says in Surah Al-Imran 15-17
“For Al-Muttaqoon (the pious) there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow. Therein (is their) eternal (home) and Azwaajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives). And Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Seer of the slaves. Those who say: ‘Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and
save us from the punishment of the Fire.’ (They are) those who are patient, those who are true (in Faith, words, and deeds), and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend (give the Zakaat and alms in the way of Allah) and those who pray and beg Allah’s Pardon in the last hours of the night.”
The last hours of the night end at the time of dawn.
Hazrat Ali bin Abi Taalib (R.A)was once brought an animal to ride and when he placed his foot on the saddle, he said, “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allah) mentioning Allah’s Name. When he rode on the animal he said,
"Al-hamdu- lillaahil-lathee sakhkhara lanaa haathaa wa maa kunnaa lahu muqrineen, wa innaa ilaa Rabbinaa la-munqaliboon."
"Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it by our efforts, and indeed to Our Lord we are to return!”
He then said, “Allaahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest),” three times. Then he said, “Al-hamdulillaah (all praise is for Allah),” three times. Then he said, “Laa ilaaha illaa Anta subhaanak, innee dhhalamtu nafsee, faghfirlee thunoobee, innahu laa yaghfirudh-dhunooba illaa Anta (There is none worthy of worship except You;
all praise is to You. I have wronged myself, so forgive me my sins. Surely, only You forgive sins.” He said, “One day, the Prophet said the same words then laughed. I asked him, ‘What makes you laugh?’ He said,
“Our Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, becomes amazed when His servant says, ‘All praise is due to You! I have committed wrong against my own self, so forgive me my sins. Surely, only You forgive sins.’ Allah says, ‘My slave knew that he has a Lord Who forgives sins.’”
Istighfaar after leaving the bathroom
When the Holy Prophet(PBUH)  finished using the  bathroom, he used to say, ‘Ghufracmak (asking Allah’s forgiveness).’
The Prophet asked Allah to forgive him after he finished using the bathroom to indicate that people do not perfectly thank Allah for the favors that he has given them. Allah’s favors include the various types of foods and drinks. Allah made it easy for us to eat the food, digest it and get rid of whatever harmful substances remain afterwards in our bodies.
It was also reported that the Holy Prophet(PBUH) asked Allah to forgive him after using the bathroom because he used to remember Allah always with his tongue and heart, except for the times he spent in the bathroom. The Prophet thought this was a shortcoming, so he asked Allah to forgive him, to make up for not remembering Him during the short time he spent in the bathroom.
Hadith
Abdullah bin Sarjis said, “I went to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and ate from his food. Then I said, ‘May Allah forgive you, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘And you too.’” Someone asked Abdullah, “Did the Prophet ask Allah to forgive you?” He said, “Yes, and for you too,” and he recited this Verse,
“And ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for believing men and believing women.” (47:19)
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
“Whoever sits in a gathering where people talked too much and says before leaving that meeting,
‘Subhaanak-Allaahumma wa bi- hamdik, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illaa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik
(Glory be unto You, O Allah, and all praises are for You. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except You, I ask for Your forgiveness and repent to You)’, he will be forgiven for whatever has been said in that gathering.”
If this is how important Istighfaar is, we should then say it many times, just as our beloved Prophet m used to do. The Prophet m often asked Allah to forgive him, even though Allah had forgiven him for all the mistakes he made, in the past and future. Shouldn’t we supplicate to Allah to forgive us, especially when we remember our mistakes and that we are not perfect in fulfilling Allah’s Rights on us? We ask Allah to forgive us, you and all other Muslims for all our mistakes and errors. Surely, Allah is the Most Forgiving and He accepts repentance from those who turn to Him in repentance.