Istighfar (اِسْتِغْفَار) is the act of seeking Allah’s forgiveness — most often by repeating astaghfirullah, “I seek forgiveness from Allah.” It is one of the simplest and most beloved forms of dhikr, and a daily habit of the Prophet ﷺ himself.
The meaning of istighfar (astaghfirullah)
The word istighfar comes from the Arabic root gh‑f‑r — to cover, to shield, to forgive. To make istighfar is to turn back to Allah, admit your shortcoming, and ask Him to cover it. The everyday form is astaghfirullah (“I seek forgiveness from Allah”); a fuller version adds wa atūbu ilayh — “and I repent to Allah.” It is a form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), and it asks for nothing complicated: only a sincere heart and a returning tongue.
The virtues of istighfar in the Qur’an
Few acts are praised as often, or as tenderly, as seeking forgiveness. The Qur’an ties istighfar not only to pardon, but to relief, provision, and mercy:
“And seek forgiveness of your Lord, then turn back to Him.”
In Sūrat Nūḥ (71:10–12), the Prophet Nūḥ ﷺ calls his people to istighfar with a promise of worldly good as well as forgiveness: “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send rain from the sky upon you in showers, and give you increase in wealth and children, and grant you gardens and rivers.” And Allah tells us whom He loves:
“And Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance.”
How many times a day should you say astaghfirullah?
There is no upper limit — the more, the better — but the Sunnah gives a clear rhythm. The Prophet ﷺ, though his past and future were forgiven, said he sought Allah’s forgiveness more than seventy times a day (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6307), and in another narration one hundred times (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim). A simple daily target, then, is 100× astaghfirullah — plus 3× after each of the five prayers, as the Prophet ﷺ did. If a number helps you keep the habit, keep the number; a counter is only there so your heart can stay on the words.
Sayyid al-Istighfar — the master of seeking forgiveness
The most complete istighfar is Sayyid al-Istighfar (“the master of seeking forgiveness”), taught by the Prophet ﷺ and narrated by Shaddād ibn Aws (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6306). Of it he ﷺ said: “Whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it and dies that day before evening will be among the people of Paradise; and whoever says it at night with firm faith and dies before morning will be among the people of Paradise.” It opens:
“O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant…”
When to recite istighfar
Istighfar fits any moment, but a few times are especially recommended: after each of the five daily prayers (three times astaghfirullah); in the last third of the night and before dawn (the Qur’an praises “those who seek forgiveness before dawn”); as part of your morning and evening adhkār; and the moment you slip, as an immediate turning-back. The habit matters more than the hour — a little, consistently, is dearer than a burst once forgotten.
Count your istighfar — free, private, offline
Keeping the count is exactly what frees your heart to stay with the words — the way tasbih beads always did. Istighfar is a free istighfar counter and dhikr counter — a digital tasbih (tasbeeh) for iOS and Android. No ads, no account, no tracking; it works fully offline, and every dhikr is drawn from the Qur’an and authenticated hadith, with Arabic, transliteration, meaning, and source. Set a goal of 100, tap, and let the number take care of itself.