Truth Always Prevails

(They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower," Aal-e-Imran [3:8]

"Truly, Allah loves those who repent, and He loves those who cleanse themselves." [al-Baqarah 2:222]




"O Allah! Make me among those who, when they commit an act of virtue, feel good, and when they commit a mistake, they seek forgiveness." [Ibn Majah]



Tawbah (repentance) and Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah) are among the most meritorious acts of virtue for the believers.


Tawbah means feeling remorse for our actions or omissions. Istighfar means expressing that remorse in words and begging Allah for forgiveness.

The act for which we perform tawbah and istighfar is not necessarily a sin, or an act of disobedience to Allah; it also includes our shortcomings. As we realize Allah's immense favors to us, all of our thankfulness and devotion clearly appears to be inadequate. As we realize the grandeur of Allah, Most High, our acts of worship and obedience clearly are seen to be insufficient. The higher a person is on the scale of taqwa, piety and God consciousness, the greater is this sense of inadequacy. Consequently the greater is his/her practice of istighfar.

That is why all the Prophets (as) preached and practiced tawbah and istighfar. We do not have to invent any sins, inherited or personal, to explain their repentance. In fact all the prophets were free of sin, as Allah appointed them as role models for humanity and Allah did not send defective role models.

The leader of all the prophets was Prophet Muhammad (saw) a fact which was also symbolized in his leading of all the prophets in Salah (prayer) in Jerusalem during Isra'. And what did the prayer leader of the prophets use to do after every prayer? He used to say astaghfirullah (I seek Allah's forgiveness) three times! This is the istighfar that comes out of the highest level of God consciousness! He taught us to perform istighfar profusely, as he himself practiced.

The Companions have reported that he used to do istighfar hundreds of times during the course of a day.

Istighfar is also a means of enhancing that consciousness of Allah and strengthening our relationship with Him. We turn to no one except Allah in repentance. We confess our deepest errors, shortcomings, failures, and sins to Him and Him alone.


In contrast, Christianity made a fatal mistake when it instituted confession to priests. As Martin Luther (1537) observed, "What torture, rascality, and idolatry such confession has produced is more than can be related". We seek His forgiveness, knowing that He alone has knowledge about all our deeds and thoughts and He alone can forgive us and save us from the consequences of our actions.


Istighfar, thus, is a most intimate conversation with Allah. And during that conversation we are at our humblest. We can see why tawbah and istighfar are the essence of our servitude and submission to Allah!


We need istighfar to constantly purify and cleanse our heart. We are not born in sin, but we are born in weakness. We are prone to fall prey to the many temptations that are part of our test in this life. And when we do fall and commit a sin, it produces a dark spot in our heart. A famous hadith, reported by Abu Huraira (ra) describes this process. When a person shows remorse and repents, that dark spot is removed. Otherwise it will stay there and grow with each additional sin. A time may come when his heart is full of darkness because of un-repented sins.

We can see this gradual darkness of the heart as people advance in their sinful behavior. In the beginning they have a lot of inhibitions. They commit the wrong hesitatingly and feel bad about it. If they do not turn back, they get used to it, so it just feels normal. Then a stage comes when vice becomes virtue and virtue vice. They defend and advocate evil and shun good.

Today, unfortunately, we see so many examples of this all around us. In the "everything goes" post-modern world, good and evil do not mean anything anymore. Then there is a whole crop of misguided psychologists who are ready to assure you that the only guilt you should feel is for feeling guilty in the first place! Is it any wonder that in the English language the word sin is now normally used to describe things that are delicious, attractive, fun, and highly desirable? That this darkness of the heart should be considered enlightenment only completes the inversion.

But there is hope for those who seek hope. No matter how corrupt we might have become, we can always make a U-turn. We can repent and seek forgiveness from our Beneficent and Merciful Creator Who is always ready to forgive those who turn to Him in sincerity. "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" [az-Zumar 39:53]. Further a hadith declares:

"When a person has repented from a sin, it is as if he had never committed that sin".

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) has taught us many words of repentance and it is good if we learn, understand, and use them. Of these one has been mentioned as Syed-ul-Istighfar (the master of forgiveness). A hadith explains its extraordinary significance:

"If a believer says this with complete faith and sincerity in the morning and dies before that evening, he will enter paradise. If he says it during the night and dies before the morning, he will enter paradise."

This powerful du'a is our daily pledge of allegiance. We will do well to memorize it in Arabic and never let a day or night go by without saying it with full consciousness:


"O Allah!

You are my Lord.

There is no God except You.

You created me and I am Your slave.

To the best of my ability, I will abide by my covenant and pledge to You.

I seek Your protection from the evil of my own creation.

I acknowledge Your favors to me and I admit my sins.

So please forgive me for no one
can forgive sins except You."

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About this blog

"Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise"

Those who disbelieve and turn (men) from the way of Allah, He rendereth their actions vain. (1)
And those who believe and do good works and believe in that which is revealed unto Muhammad - and it is the truth from their Lord - He riddeth them of their ill-deeds and improveth their state. (2) That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood and because those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus Allah coineth their similitudes for mankind. (3) -Muhammad [47:3]

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Relieve Your Heart! Think Well of Others!

“Beware of assumptions, for assumption is the falsest of speech, and do not be inquisitive, and do not spy upon one another, and do not vie with one another, and do not envy one another, and do not hate one another, and do not shun one another; be fellow-brothers and slaves of Allah.” (Al-Bukhari: Book 8 Vol. 73 Hadith 92)

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سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡہَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡ‌ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرً۬ا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآ‌ۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَٮٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ (٢٨٦)
Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. (286)

اللهممقلبالقلوبثبّتقلبيعلىدينك

Allahumma muqallibul Qulub thabit qalbi 'ala deenek.

"O turner of the hearts! Establish my heart upon Your religion."

sayyidul istighfar


"If a believer says this with complete faith and sincerity in the morning and dies before that evening, he will enter paradise. If he says it during the night and dies before the morning, he will enter paradise."

"O Allah!

You are my Lord.

There is no God except You.

You created me and I am Your slave.

To the best of my ability, I will abide by my covenant and pledge to You.

I seek Your protection from the evil of my own creation.

I acknowledge Your favors to me and I admit my sins.

So please forgive me for no one

can forgive sins except You."

Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 52 :: Hadith 41

Narrated Abdullah bin Masud:

I asked Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the best deed?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is next in goodness?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents." I further asked, what is next in goodness?" He replied, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." I did not ask Allah's Apostle anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told me more.

`Ali ibn `Abu Talib.

"Do not ask these three kinds of people to statisfy your needs: the liar, for surely the will make things seem near when they are in distant; the fool, for surely he will want to help you, but will only harm you; and the man whose own need is linked to your needs, for surely he will use your need as a means to secure his own need"

Muhammed (PBUH)

Al-Anbiya [21:107]

And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

Al-Fath [48:8]Verily, We have sent you (O muhammad SAW) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner

Aal-e-Imran [3:31] Say (O muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

99 Names Of Allah


Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names."[Al Isra 17:110]

1

Allah (الله)

The Greatest Name

2

Ar-Rahman (الرحمن)

The All-Compassionate

3

Ar-Rahim (الرحيم)

The All-Merciful

4

Al-Malik (الملك)

The Absolute Ruler

5

Al-Quddus (القدوس)

The Pure One

6

As-Salam (السلام)

The Source of Peace

7

Al-Mu'min (المؤمن)

The Inspirer of Faith

8

Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن)

The Guardian

9

Al-Aziz (العزيز)

The Victorious

10

Al-Jabbar (الجبار)

The Compeller

11

Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر)

The Greatest

12

Al-Khaliq (الخالق)

The Creator

13

Al-Bari' (البارئ)

The Maker of Order

14

Al-Musawwir (المصور)

The Shaper of Beauty

15

Al-Ghaffar (الغفار)

The Forgiving

16

Al-Qahhar (القهار)

The Subduer

17

Al-Wahhab (الوهاب)

The Giver of All

18

Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق)

The Sustainer

19

Al-Fattah (الفتاح)

The Opener

20

Al-`Alim (العليم)

The Knower of All

21

Al-Qabid (القابض)

The Constrictor

22

Al-Basit (الباسط)

The Reliever

23

Al-Khafid (الخافض)

The Abaser

24

Ar-Rafi (الرافع)

The Exalter

25

Al-Mu'izz (المعز)

The Bestower of Honors

26

Al-Mudhill (المذل)

The Humiliator

27

As-Sami (السميع)

The Hearer of All

28

Al-Basir (البصير)

The Seer of All

29

Al-Hakam (الحكم)

The Judge

30

Al-`Adl (العدل)

The Just

31

Al-Latif (اللطيف)

The Subtle One

32

Al-Khabir (الخبير)

The All-Aware

33

Al-Halim (الحليم)

The Forebearing

34

Al-Azim (العظيم)

The Magnificent

35

Al-Ghafur (الغفور)

The Forgiver and Hider of Faults

36

Ash-Shakur (الشكور)

The Rewarder of Thankfulness

37

Al-Ali (العلى)

The Highest

38

Al-Kabir (الكبير)

The Greatest

39

Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ)

The Preserver

40

Al-Muqit (المقيت)

The Nourisher

41

Al-Hasib (الحسيب)

The Accounter

42

Al-Jalil (الجليل)

The Mighty

43

Al-Karim (الكريم)

The Generous

44

Ar-Raqib (الرقيب)

The Watchful One

45

Al-Mujib (المجيب)

The Responder to Prayer

46

Al-Wasi (الواسع)

The All-Comprehending

47

Al-Hakim (الحكيم)

The Perfectly Wise

48

Al-Wadud (الودود)

The Loving One

49

Al-Majid (المجيد)

The Majestic One

50

Al-Ba'ith (الباعث)

The Resurrector

51

Ash-Shahid (الشهيد)

The Witness

52

Al-Haqq (الحق)

The Truth

53

Al-Wakil (الوكيل)

The Trustee

54

Al-Qawiyy (القوى)

The Possessor of All Strength

55

Al-Matin (المتين)

The Forceful One

56

Al-Waliyy (الولى)

The Governor

57

Al-Hamid (الحميد)

The Praised One

58

Al-Muhsi (المحصى)

The Appraiser

59

Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ)

The Originator

60

Al-Mu'id (المعيد)

The Restorer

61

Al-Muhyi (المحيى)

The Giver of Life

62

Al-Mumit (المميت)

The Taker of Life

63

Al-Hayy (الحي)

The Ever Living One

64

Al-Qayyum (القيوم)

The Self-Existing One

65

Al-Wajid (الواجد)

The Finder

66

Al-Majid (الماجد)

The Glorious

67

Al-Wahid (الواحد)

The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible

68

As-Samad (الصمد)

The Satisfier of All Needs

69

Al-Qadir (القادر)

The All Powerful

70

Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر)

The Creator of All Power

71

Al-Muqaddim (المقدم)

The Expediter

72

Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر)

The Delayer

73

Al-Awwal (الأول)

The First

74

Al-Akhir (الأخر)

The Last

75

Az-Zahir (الظاهر)

The Manifest One

76

Al-Batin (الباطن)

The Hidden One

77

Al-Wali (الوالي)

The Protecting Friend

78

Al-Muta'ali (المتعالي)

The Supreme One

79

Al-Barr (البر)

The Doer of Good

80

At-Tawwab (التواب)

The Guide to Repentance

81

Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم)

The Avenger

82

Al-'Afuww (العفو)

The Forgiver

83

Ar-Ra'uf (الرؤوف)

The Clement

84

Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك)

The Owner of All

85

Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام)

The Lord of Majesty and Bounty

86

Al-Muqsit (المقسط)

The Equitable One

87

Al-Jami' (الجامع)

The Gatherer

88

Al-Ghani (الغنى)

The Rich One

89

Al-Mughni (المغنى)

The Enricher

90

Al-Mani'(المانع)

The Preventer of Harm

91

Ad-Darr (الضار)

The Creator of The Harmful

92

An-Nafi' (النافع)

The Creator of Good

93

An-Nur (النور)

The Light

94

Al-Hadi (الهادي)

The Guide

95

Al-Badi (البديع)

The Originator

96

Al-Baqi (الباقي)

The Everlasting One

97

Al-Warith (الوارث)

The Inheritor of All

98

Ar-Rashid (الرشيد)

The Righteous Teacher

99

As-Sabur (الصبور)

The Patient One

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