# Sayyid al-Istighfar (Master of Seeking Forgiveness): Arabic > The greatest istighfar in Islam — the dua the Prophet ﷺ said guarantees Paradise if recited sincerely morning or evening. *Source: https://prayer-times.co.uk/blog/sayyid-al-istighfar · Page updated: 2026-07-17 · Independent, free UK prayer times.* --- Daily Duas · 2nd May 2026 · 5 min read ·Kaiser Khan # Sayyid al-Istighfar (Master of Seeking Forgiveness): Arabic, English Meaning & Reward Quick Answer Sayyid al-Istighfar literally means 'the master of seeking forgiveness'. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught it as the single greatest formula of repentance a Muslim can recite. Whoever says it sincerely in the morning believing in it and dies that day enters Paradise; whoever says it in the evening with the same conviction and dies that night enters Paradise. It is one of the most-searched duas online — and one of the most rewarding to memorise. Last updated 17 July 2026 The greatest istighfar in Islam — the dua the Prophet ﷺ said guarantees Paradise if recited sincerely morning or evening. Full Arabic text, English translation, transliteration and the hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari. Sayyid al-Istighfar literally means 'the master of seeking forgiveness'. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught it as the single greatest formula of repentance a Muslim can recite. Whoever says it sincerely in the morning believing in it and dies that day enters Paradise; whoever says it in the evening with the same conviction and dies that night enters Paradise. It is one of the most-searched duas online — and one of the most rewarding to memorise. ## Sayyid al-Istighfar — the dua اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa Anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mas-tata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bi ni'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u bi dhanbi faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta. O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no god worthy of worship except You. You created me, and I am Your servant, and I keep Your covenant and pledge as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin — so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 — narrated by Shaddad ibn Aws (RA)) ## The reward — Paradise in one sitting > Whoever says it during the day with firm belief in it and dies on that day before evening, will be among the people of Paradise; and whoever says it at night with firm belief in it and dies before morning, will be among the people of Paradise. > > — Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 ## What the dua means line by line - Affirms Tawhid — 'You are my Lord, there is no god but You.' - Acknowledges servitude — 'You created me, I am Your servant.' - Renews the covenant of faith we owe Allah, as much as we are able. - Seeks refuge from the harm of our own actions and sins. - Confesses both the favour received and the sin committed — perfect honesty before Allah. - Asks for forgiveness, recognising that no one else can forgive sins. ## When to recite Sayyid al-Istighfar Recite it once after Fajr and once after Maghrib (or Asr) every single day. It is the centrepiece of the morning and evening adhkar. You can also recite it at any time you feel the weight of a sin or want to renew your relationship with Allah. ## Hadith reference The hadith is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (6306) on the authority of Shaddad ibn Aws (RA), one of the noble companions known for his deep knowledge. Its authenticity is unanimously accepted, and it appears in every major book of authentic adhkar including al-Adhkar by Imam an-Nawawi and Hisn al-Muslim. Keep this site free Free prayer tools and independent information. A contribution covers hosting and the daily rebuild — it never buys a listing, a method or a mosque’s place in the directory. [Support the site](/support#readers) [Charity partners](/support#charities) ## More guides on this topic [ Daily Duas ### Ayat al-Kursi: Arabic Text, English Translation, Meaning & Reward (The Greatest Verse of the Qur'an) 6 min read ](/blog/ayat-al-kursi)[ Daily Duas ### Dua for Entering the Marketplace: Arabic, English Meaning & The Million Hasanat Reward 4 min read ](/blog/dua-for-entering-the-marketplace)[ Daily Duas ### Dua for Studying and Seeking Knowledge: Arabic, English Meaning & Quranic Source 4 min read ](/blog/dua-for-studying-and-seeking-knowledge)[ Daily Duas ### Dua After Eating: Arabic, Transliteration, English Meaning & Hadith from Abu Dawud 4 min read ](/blog/dua-after-eating)