The Power of Istighfar

The simple act of saying “Astaghfirullah.” It is an easy thing to do. But what power does it carry?

The literal meaning of saying Astaghfirullah is “I seek forgiveness from Allah.” It is a simple phrase, but with it comes something much deeper. Turning back to Allah, even in those situations when everyday life becomes heavy on us. It is not fard (obligatory), but rather an act of worship, or even an act of love for Allah SWT. It is about admitting our mistakes and asking Him for His mercy and forgiveness.

Istighfar should not only be something we say after we have wronged someone or seen/heard something disturbing. Rather, it is a form of remembrance that we carry with us throughout our day.

In the Qur’an, Allah SWT reminds us in Surah Nuh, ayat 10–12, by saying:

“And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers, and give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you ä

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ۝١٠

يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ۝١١

وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا ۝١٢

Through these ayat, we can draw the conclusion that when we do this act of love, we’re not only cleansing our minds, but we’re remembering that, no matter what, we have a Lord who is close to us. When you give wholeheartedly and take a step towards Allah SWT, He increases you in rizq, lifts the heaviness from your heart, and answers your duas in the best possible ways.

Start with a goal: 100 istighfar a day, then increase it with however much you can handle. And then combine it with salawat. Istighfar will surely give you the clarity you need in life.

This topic is one of the most discussed topics among ulama, shuyokh, speakers, and Muslims today. And when you experience it firsthand, and believe me, I have, you will understand why it keeps reoccurring as a topic.

Maybe a calamity was heading your way because of a sin you committed, but the power of istighfar may have removed it. Maybe something you thought was meant for you was taken away, only for Allah to replace it with something better.

Sometimes, we may never know what Allah protected us from.

Astaghfirullah

A small phrase on the tongue, but a powerful reminder for the heart: Allah’s mercy will always be greater than our wrongdoings.

Until next time, my beloved Amanah girlies.

I hope this little reminder stays with you, and In sha Allah, the next post will be about salawat, along with some simple tips on how to combine salawat with istighfar in your daily routine.

Until then, may you keep your tongue busy with istighfar. Amin.

With love,
Vesile

XOXO