- 45 -
Abu `Ali at-Tanookhi narrates in his Kitaab, "
al-Faraju ba`dash Shiddah", and ibn an-Najjaar narrates from Ayyoob ibn al-`Abbaas ibn al-Hasan, the one whose father was the Wazeer (vizier) of al-Muktafee (the Abbasid Khaleefah). He said: Abu `Ali ibn Hammaam narated to us with an Isnaad which I did not memorise, from a Bedouin, that he (the Bedouin) complained to (Hadhrat) `Ali ibn Abi Taalib (
رضي الله عنه) about difficulties that had afflicted him, and that his condition had changed to one of poverty, and that he had many dependants. So he said to him: "Perform Istighfaar (seek forgiveness from Allaah) in abundance, for indeed, Allaah `Azza wa Jall says:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا
وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
{"I (i.e. Nooh
عليه السلام) said to them: 'Ask forgiveness from your Rabb; indeed, He is Most Forgiving. He will send down the rain upon you in abundance and give you an increase in wealth and children, and He will make for you gardens and He will make for you rivers."} [Soorah Nooh, 71:10-12]
The man returned to him and said: "O Ameer al-Mu'mineen, I have made Istighfaar (sought forgiveness from) Allaah in abundance, and I do not see a relief from what I am in." He (Hadhrat `Ali
رضي الله عنه) said to him: "Perhaps you are not performing Istighfaar in a goodly way." He said: "Teach me (how to do so)." He said: "Purify your intention, and obey your Rabb (i.e. carry out all obligatory duties and abstain from sins including those repented from), and say:
اللهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ قَوِيَ عَلَيْهِ بَدَنِيْ بِعَافِيَتِكَ, أَوْ نَالَتْهُ قُدْرَتِيْ بِفَضْلِ نِعْمَتِكَ, أَوْ بَسَطْتُ إِلَيْهِ يَدِيْ بِسَابِغِ رِزْقِكَ, أَوِ اتَّكَلْتُ فِيْهِ عِنْدَ خَوْفِيْ مِنْهُ عَلَى أَمَانِكَ أَوْ وَثِقْتُ فِيْهِ بِحِلْمِكَ, أَوْ عَوَّلْتُ فِيْهِ عَلَى كَرِيْمِ عَفْوِكَ, اللهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ خُنْتُ فِيْهِ أَمَانَتِيْ, أَوْ بَخَسْتُ فِيْهِ نَفْسِيْ, أَوْ قَدّمْتُ فِيْهِ لَذَّتِيْ أَوْ آثَرْتُ فِيْهِ شَهْوَتِيْ, أَوْ سَعَيْتُ فِيْهِ لِغَيْرِيْ, أَوِ اسْتَغْوَيْتُ فِيْهِ مَنْ تَبِعَنِيْ, أَوْ غَلَبْتُ فِيْهِ بِفَضْلِ حِيْلَتِيْ, أَوْ أَحَلْتُ فِيْهِ عَلَيْكَ مَوْلَايَ فَلَمْ تَغْلِبْنِيْ إِذْ كُنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ كَارِهاً لِمَعْصِيَتِيْ, لَكِنْ سَبَقَ عِلْمُكَ فِيَّ بِاخْتِيَارِيْ وَاسْتِعْمَالِيْ مُرَادِيْ وَإِيْثَارِيْ, فَحَلِمْتَ عِنِّيْ فَلَمْ تُدْخِلْنِيْ فِيْهِ جَبْراً, وَلَمْ تَحْمِلْنِيْ عَلَيْهِ قَهْراً, وَلَمْ تَظْلِمْنِيْ شَيْئاً يَاأَرْحَمَ الرَاحِمِيْن, يَاصَاحِبِيْ عِنْدَ شِدَّتِيْ, يَامُؤْنِسِيْ فِيْ وَحْدَتِيْ, يَاحَافِظِيْ فِيْ غُرْبَتِيْ, يَاوَلِيِّيْ فِيْ نِعْمَتِيْ, يَاكَاشِفَ كُرْبَتِيْ, يَمُسْتَمِعَ دَعْوَتِيْ, يَارَاحِمَ عَبْرَتِيْ, يَامُقِيْلَ عَثْرَتِيْ, يَاإِلَهِيْ بِالتَحْقِيْقِ, يَارُكْنِيْ الْوَثِيْقُ, يَاجَارِيْ الَّصِيْقُ, يَامَوْلَايَ الشَّفِيْقُ, يَارَبَّ الْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيْقِ, أَخْرِجْنِيْ مِنْ حَلَقِ الْمَضِيْقِ, إِلَى سَعَةِ الطَرِيْقِ, وَفَرَجٍ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ قَرِيْبٌ وَثِيْقٌ, وَاكْشِفْ عَنِّيْ كُلَّ شِدَّةٍ وَضِيْقٍ, وَاكْفِنِيْ مَا أُطِيْقُ وَمَا لَا أُطِيْقُ. اللهُمَّ فَرِّجْ عَنِّيْ كُلَّ هَمٍّ وَغَمٍّ, وَأَخْرِجْنِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ حُزْنٍ وَكَرْبٍ, يَافَارِجَ الْهَمِّ, وَيَاكَاشِفَ الغَمِّ, وَيَا مُنْزِلَ الْقَطْرِ, وَيَامُجِيْبَ دَعْوَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّ, يَارَحْمَنَ الدُنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَرَحِيْمَهُمَا, صَلِّ عَلَى خِيْرَتِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَآلِهِ الطَيِّبِيْنَ الطَاهِرِيْنَ, وَفَرِّجْ عَنِّيْ مَا قَدْ ضَاقَ بِهِ صَدْرِيْ, وَعِيْلَ مَعَهُ صَبْرِيْ, وَقَلَّتْ فِيْهِ حِيْلَتِيْ, وَضَعُفَتْ لَهُ قُوَّتِيْ, يَاكَاشِفَ كُلَّ ضُرٍّ وَبَلِيَّةٍ, وَيَا عَالِمَ كُلَّ سِرٍّ وَخَفِيَّةٍ, يَاأَرْحَمَ الرَاحِمِيْنَ
وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِيْ إِلَى اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ بَصِيْرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
وَمَا تَوْفِيْقِيْ إِلَّا بِاللهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ
Allaahumma Innee Astaghfiruka min Kulli Dhambin Qawiya `Alayhi Badanee bi-`Aafiyatik, aw Naalathu Qudratee bi-Fadhli Ni`matik, aw Basattu Ilayhi Yadee bi-Saabighi Rizqik, Awit-takaltu feehi `Inda Khawfee minhu `alaa Amaanik, Aw Wathiqtu feehi bi-Hilmik, aw `Awwaltu feehi `alaa Kareemi `Afwik. Allaahumma Innee Astaghfiruka min Kulli Dhambin Khuntu feehi `alaa Amaanatee, aw Bakhastu feehi Nafsee, aw Qaddamtu feehi Laddhatee aw Aathartu feehi Shahwatee, aw Sa`aytu feehi li-Ghayree, Awistagh-waytu feehi man Tabi`anee, aw Ghalabtu feehi bi-Fadhli Heelatee, aw Ahaltu feehi `Alayka Mawlaaya falam Taghlibnee `alaa Fi`lee idh Kunta Sub-haanaka Kaarihan li-Ma`siyatee, laakin Sabaqa `Ilmuka Fiyya bikhtiyaaree was-ti`maalee Muraadee wa-Eethaaree, fa-Halimta `annee falam Tudkhilnee feehi Jabran, wa lam Tahmilnee `alayhi Qahran, wa lam Tazhlimnee Shay'an Yaa Ar-hamar Raahimeen. Yaa Saahibee `inda Shiddatee, Yaa Mu'nisee fee Wahdatee, Yaa Haafizhee fee Ghurbatee, Yaa Waliyyee fee Ni`matee, Yaa Kaashifa Kurbatee, Yaa Mustami`a Da`watee, Yaa Raahima `Abratee, Yaa Muqeela `Athratee, Yaa Ilaahee bit-Tahqeeq, Yaa Ruknil Watheeq, Yaa Jaaril Laseeq, Yaa Mawlaayash Shafeeq, Yaa Rabbal Baytil `Ateeq, Akhrijnee min Halaqil Madheeq, ilaa Sa`atit Tareeq, wa Farajim min `Indika Qareebun Watheeq, Wakhshif `annee Kulla Shiddatin wa Dheeq, Wakfinee maa Uteequ wa maa laa Uteeq. Allaahumma Farrij `annee Kulla Hammin wa Ghamm, wa Akhrijnee min Kulli Huznin wa Karb, Yaa Faarijal Hamm, wa Yaa Kaashifal Ghamm, wa Yaa Munzilal Qatr, wa Yaa Mujeeba Da`watil Mudhtarr, Yaa Rahmaan-ad-Dunyaa wal-Aakhirah wa Raheemahumaa, Salli `alaa Kheeratika min Khalqika Muhammadini Nabiyyi Sallallaahu `Alayhi wa Sallam, wa Aalihit Tayyibeenat at-Taahireen, wa Farrij `Annee maa qad Dhaaqa bihee Sadree, wa `Eela Ma`ahu Sabree, wa Qallat feehi Heelatee, wa Dha`ufat lahu Quwwatee, Yaa Kaashifa Kulli Dhurrin wa Baliyyah, wa Yaa `Aalima Kulli Sirrin wa Khafiyyah, Yaa Ar-hamar Raahimeen.
Wa Ufawwidhu Amree ilallaah, Innallaaha Baseerum bil-`Ibaad.
Wa Maa Tawfeeqee Illaa Billaah, `Alayhi Tawakkaltu wa Huwa Rabbul `Arshil `Azheem.
O Allaah, I seek Your Forgiveness for every sin which my body was strong enough to commit through Your keeping it safe, or I was able to do it because of the bounty of Your Favour (upon me), or I stretched my hand towards it because of the downpour of Your Rizq (sustenance) upon me, or I relied upon it at the time of my fearing from it upon Your Safety (which you have granted me), or I became confident (i.e. in committing the sin) because of Your Tolerance, or I resolved upon (doing it) because of the generosity of Your Pardoning. O Allaah, I seek forgiveness from you from every sin (I committed) in which I betrayed my trust, or lowered myself, or put forward my pleasures or preferred my desires, or I committed for the sake of someone else, or I misguided thereby whosoever follows me, or I was successful in by virtue of my plot, or I committed it and - O my Master - You did not overpower me (i.e. did not destroy me) because of my action, even though You - Glory be unto You - disliked my disobedience, but in Your Knowledge, You knew that I would choose (it) and that I would use my choice, so You were tolerant concerning me and did not force me into doing it, and did not cause me to do it by subjugating me, and did not wrong me in any way, O Most Merciful of all those who show mercy. O my Companion at the time when things are going hard for me; O the One Who consoles me when I am lonely; O Protector of me when I am alone as a stranger; O Safeguarder of me in the favours (I enjoy); O Remover of my harms; O Hearer of my supplications; O One Who has mercy upon my tears; O One Who forgives me when I fall; O my true Ilaah; O my most powerful Support; O my closest Neighbour; O my Kindest Master; O Rabb of the Ancient House: take me out from constraint into the vastness of the path, and into a strong relief from You that is near at hand, and remove from me every difficulty and hardship, and suffice me for that which I am capable of and for that which I am not capable of. O Allaah, grant me relief from every worry and sadness, and take me out from every grief and difficulty. O Reliever from worry, O Remover of grief, O Sender of the rain, O Answerer of the call of the oppressed one, O Rahmaan of the Dunyaa and the Aakhirah, and the Raheem of both of them, send salutations upon the best from Your creation, Muhammad the Nabi, Sallallaahu `Alayhi wa Sallam, and upon his pure family, and grant me relief from that which has caused my chest to tigthen, and my patience to wane, and my plan to lessen, and my power to weaken. O Remover of every harm and affliction, O Knower of every secret and hidden thing, O Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.
{"And I entrust my affair to Allaah; indeed, Allaah is All-Seeing over His slaves."}
{"And my capability is only with Allaah. Upon Him I place my trust and He is the Rabb of the Majestic Throne."}
The Bedouin said: "So I sought forgiveness from Allaah Ta`aalaa with that Istighfaar a number of times, so Allaah removed from me the sorrow and grief, and made my sustenance vast for me, and removed the trial from me.”