1359 – Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The supreme formula for seeking forgiveness (sayyid al-istighfār) is that the servant should say:
‘O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity but You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I remain, as far as I am able, faithful to Your covenant and promise. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge before You the favor You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sin; so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.’”

Al-Bukhārī recorded it (1).

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
– sayyid al-istighfār: The word sayyid originally means a leader to whom people turn for their needs. This supplication is called “the master of seeking forgiveness” because it contains the servant’s affirmation of Allah’s exclusive divinity, his own servitude, recognition of the Creator, renewal of the covenant, hope in the promised reward, seeking refuge from the harm he has brought upon himself, attributing every blessing to its Giver, attributing sin to himself, and admitting that no one can accomplish these matters except Allah—along with many other exquisite meanings.

– “ʿalā ʿahdika”: that is, upon the covenant I pledged to You and the promise of faith and sincere obedience. Some have said the covenant refers to what was taken in the primordial realm.

– “mā istaṭaʿtu”: meaning, for as long as I have the ability; it is an admission of weakness and shortcoming.

– “abūʾu biniʿmatika” and “abūʾu bidhambī”: I acknowledge and confess to You. Al-Ṭībī noted that the servant first acknowledges Allah’s favor—without limiting it so as to include every favor—then admits his own deficiency in failing to render the thanks those favors deserve.

Lessons derived from the ḥadīth
1 – The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named this tremendous narration “the master of seeking forgiveness” because it contains