remain faithful to Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have wrought. 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. Whoever recites this during the day, convinced of its truth, and dies that same day before nightfall, will be among the people of Paradise; and whoever recites it at night, convinced of its truth, and dies before dawn, will be among the people of Paradise.” Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

“Abūʾu” – the bāʾ carries a ḍamma, followed by a wāw and a lengthened hamza – means: I acknowledge and admit.

1885 – Thawbān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concluded his prayer, he would seek Allah’s forgiveness three times and then say, “Allāhumma anta al-salām, wa minka al-salām, tabārakta yā dhā al-jalāli wa al-ikrām (O Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace; You are blessed, O Possessor of majesty and honor).” It was said to al-Awzāʿī, one of the narrators, “How is the seeking of forgiveness?” He replied, “One should say: Astaghfirullāh, astaghfirullāh.” Recorded by Muslim.

1886 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Shortly before his death the Messenger of Allah ﷺ frequently used to say, “Subḥānallāhi wa bi­ḥamdih, astaghfirullāh, wa atūbu ilayh (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him; I seek Allah’s forgiveness and I turn to Him in repentance).” Agreed upon.

1887 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Allah the Exalted said: ‘O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and place your hope in Me, I will forgive you for whatever you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought My forgiveness, I would forgive you, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with an earth-full of sins, and then meet Me without associating anything with Me, I would come to you with an earth-full of forgiveness.’” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī, who said: “A ḥasan (sound) hadith.”

“ʿAnān al-samāʾ” – with a fatḥa on the ʿayn – is said to mean “the clouds,” or whatever of the sky becomes visible to you. “Qurāb al-arḍ” – with a ḍamma on the qāf (a kasra is also transmitted, though the ḍamma is more common) – refers to what almost fills the earth.

1888 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “O womenfolk, give in charity and increase in seeking forgiveness, for I saw that you are the majority of the inhabitants of the Fire.” A woman