The lifeline..
Allah Almighty commands all His servants, and notably His prophets, to seek forgiveness from Him:
{And said: “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever Superb Forgiver.}
[Surat Nūh: 10]
And the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said:
“By Allah, I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”
[Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
If this is the case with the prophets, then it is more appropriate and more necessary for those less in rank to ask for forgiveness. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to ‘Ali ibn Abu Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him):
“Shall I teach you some words which if you say, Allah will forgive you, even if you were already forgiven? Say: ‘La ilāha illallāh Al-‘Aliyy Al-‘Azhīm, la ilāha illallāh Al-Halīm Al-Karīm, la ilāha illallāh subhānallāh Rabb al-‘arsh al-‘azhīm (There is no god except Allah, the High, the Magnificent. There is no god except Allah, the Forbearing, the Generous. There is no god except Allah. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne).’”
[Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; Sahīh (authentic)]
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:“It is so strange how a person might get ruined while salvation is there with him.” He was asked: “What is it?” He said: “Asking Allah for forgiveness.” Qatādah (may Allah have mercy up on him) said: “The Qur’an informs you of your disease and your cure. The disease is sins, and the cure is seeking forgiveness from Allah.”Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:“Sins are a cause of trouble, and seeking forgiveness removes its causes, as Allah Almighty says:
{...And Allah will not punish them while they are seeking forgiveness.}
[Surat al-Anfāl: 33]
”Ibn Kathīr said: “Whoever assumes this attitude -i.e. seeking forgiveness, Allah will facilitate for him his sustenance and affairs and will preserve his strength.”
I complain to You about sins which I admit. Before You question me on the Day of Judgment, I hope and implore You to forgive them.
I hope that You, the Bestower of favors, will forgive and conceal them on the Day of Reckoning as You have concealed them on earth.
It is noted that the phrase “there is no god except Allah” comes in association with seeking forgiveness in the verse that says:
{So know that there is no god except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women...}
[seeking Muhammad: 19]
“This is because monotheism erases the root of polytheism and seeking forgiveness erases its branches.
The best praise of Allah is: “la ilāha illallāh” (there is no god except Allah), and the best supplication is: “astaghfirullāh” (I seek forgiveness from Allah). That is why Allah commanded the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to adhere to monotheism and to ask forgiveness for himself and his fellow believing men and women.”
O Allah, forgive us, our parents, and all Muslims, O Lord of the worlds!
