Istighfar: Difference between revisions

'''Istighfār''' (Arabic:{{ia|الإستغفار}}) is to ask [[God]] to forgive one's sins. It does not merely consist in the recitation of sentences such as {{ia|"اللّهمَ إغفِرلی"}} (God! Forgive me!), rather it is a true feeling of return to God and [[repentance]] for one's wrongdoings with a determination not to commit them again. Istighfar is not restricted to ordinary, fallible people; even the [[Prophethood|prophets]] asked for divine forgiveness. The [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] was commissioned by God to ask for divine forgiveness for himself and for other believers, as an [[intercession]] for divine mercy.

The word "istighfar" literally means to ask for forgiveness.<ref>Ḥimyarī, ''Shams al-ʿulūm'', vol. 8, p. 4982.</ref> It is from the Arabic root, "gh-f-r", {{ia|(غ-ف-ر)}} which originally means to cover.<ref>Ibn Manẓūr, ''Lisān al-ʿArab'', vol. 5, p. 26; Ibn Athīr, ''al-Nihāya'', vol. 3, p. 373.</ref> Terminologically, it means to verbally or practically ask God to forgive one's sins in order to be immune to the pernicious effects of the sins and [[reward and punishment|divine punishment]].<ref>Ibn ʿĀshūr, ''al-Taḥrīr wa l-tanwīr'', vol. 3, p. 223; Rāghib, ''Mufradāt alfāẓ al-Qurʾān'', p. 609.</ref> Some scholars have taken some occurrences of the word "istighfar" in the Qur'an to refer to believing,<ref>Zamakhsharī, ''al-Kashshāf'', vol. 2, p. 402.</ref> converting to Islam,<ref>Fakhr al-Rāzī, ''al-Tafsīr al-kabīr'', vol. 15, p. 158.</ref> or saying one's prayers.<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 2, p. 714.</ref> These are instances of the practical sort of istighfar.

Istighfar is either a verbal expression, such as "{{ia|استغفر اللّه}}" (I ask for God's forgiveness), or a deed, such as doing something that leads one to be forgiven by God. The verbal istighfar is discussed in [[jurisprudence]] in issues such as [[tahara]], [[prayer]], [[fasting]], [[hajj]], commerce, [[zihar]] and [[kaffara]].

The concept of asking for divine forgiveness has appeared in the Qur'an 68 times: 43 of these are different forms of "istighfar" (in the form of "istif'al"), 17 in the form "ighfir" (the imperative form, meaning forgive), 3 in the form of "yaghfir" (He forgives), 2 in the form of "taghfir" (you forgive), and one in the form of "maghfira" (forgiveness).<ref>ʿAbd al-Bāqī, ''al-Muʿjam al-mufahras'', p. 634.</ref> In two [[verses]] of the Qur'an, the divine order for forgiveness has appeared with the word "hitta" (Arabic:{{ia| حطة}}): God issued an order for the [[Israelites]] to be forgiven.<ref>Qurʾān, 2:58; 7:161.</ref>

* The [[Qur'an 11]]:3:

* The [[Qur'an 4]]:110:  

The necessity of istighfar is obvious from the invitation to istighfar in many Qur'anic verses<ref>ʿAbd al-Bāqī, ''al-Muʿjam al-mufahras'', p. 634.</ref> and reproaching those who ignore it in some others (such as [[Qur'an 5]]:74). ordinary people need to ask God for forgiveness constantly, because they are prone to sin and error. On the other hand, no one can do justice to divine rights; everyone meets divine commands in terms appropriate to the extent of their knowledge. Therefore, even true pious people are even ashamed of their worships and hence need to ask for divine forgiveness.<ref>''Nahj al-balāgha'', sermon 193.</ref>

* The [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and other prophets (a) recommended istighfar; all people are commanded to ask for divine forgiveness, as implied by 8 Qur'anic verses. Nearly 30 verses of the Qur'an talk about prophets themselves asking for divine forgiveness and the Prophet (s) himself was ordered in 5 Qur'anic verses to ask for divine forgiveness.

* The [[angel]]s ask for the forgiveness of the believers<ref>Qurʾān, 40:7.</ref> and people on the Earth.<ref>Qurʾān, 42:5.</ref>

Although istighfar is [[recommended]] in itself, it is under certain circumstances [[obligatory]] or [[forbidden]]. Thus there are three jurisprudential rulings for istighfar:

#between the two [[prostration|prostrations]] of the [[prayer]];<ref>Yazdī, ''al-ʿUrwa al-wuthqā'', vol. 1, p. 683.</ref>  

#for not doing some traditions, such as istighfar for hurting oneself while mourning as a [[expiation]].<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāḥir al-kalām'', vol. 33, p. 193.</ref>

*''' Obligatory istighfar: ''' one case in which istighfar is obligatory, is [[hajj]]; when the [[muhrim]] engages in a quarrel or commits a vice less than three times.<ref>''Manāsik-i ḥajj'', issue 372, 377.</ref> Another case is when one is required to give expiation (the emancipation of a slave, fasting for two months or providing food or clothes for 60 people in need) but one cannot provide any of them.<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāḥir al-kalām'', vol. 33, p. 295.</ref> It is said that if one cannot provide the expiation for [[zihar]], then istighfar will be obligatory, though there is a dispute over the issue.<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāḥir al-kalām'', vol. 33, p. 160-163.</ref> It is a matter of controversy whether istighfar is obligatory in saying prayers for a dead person<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāḥir al-kalām'', vol. 12, p. 34-47, 88.</ref> as well as istighfar for a person about whom one has committed [[ghiba]] (or backbiting).<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāḥir al-kalām'', vol. 22, p. 72.</ref>

A person was repeating the sentence {{ia| استغفر الله}} (I ask God to forgive me) before [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. The Imam (a) told him there are six conditions to be met in order for an istighfar to be valid, and that it is only then that the recitation of such a sentence could help:

* Testimony of [[faith]] and submission to God.

* Considering that God accepts one's [[repentance]].

* Some Qur'anic verses explicitly state that God accepts istighfar (such as Qur'an 11:11 and 61; and Qur'an 40:60).

Istighfar is not restricted to any particular time, place or condition. But there are special moments or places in which istighfar will definitely be accepted. For example, according to the [[Qur'an]], the best time for istighfar is the dawn (sahar). According to Qur'anic [[exegete]]s, the verse "soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you: for He is indeed oft-forgiving, most merciful"<ref>Qurʾān,12:98.</ref>  

refers to the fact that the Prophet [[Joseph (a)]] (Yūsuf) will ask for divine forgiveness in the dawn.

According to the Qur'an and [[hadiths]], istighfar has many constructive, worthwhile effects, such as the reformation of the community, divine blessings, and immunity to this-worldly and afterlife [[reward and punishment|divine punishment]].<ref>Qurʾān, 71:10-12; 11:52; 7:96; 8:33.</ref>

According to the [[Qur'an 8]]:33, "Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst you were amongst them; nor was he going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon".<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 7, p. 154-155.</ref>

[[Imam 'Ali (a)]] said: "there were two things on Earth that provided immunity to divine punishments: the presence of the [[Prophet (s)]] that is not available anymore, but the other one, that is istighfar, is always available; so appeal to it." He then recited the above Qur'anic verses.<ref>''Nahj al-balāgha'', Maxim 88.</ref>

According to the [[Qur'an 71]]:10, the Prophet [[Noah (a)]] tells his people to ask for divine forgiveness, and then the verse goes on "He is the forgiver (ghaffar)". The divine attribute, Ghaffar (forgiver), as well as others like Rahim (Merciful) and Wadud (loving), imply that God forgives the sins and gives His mercy to people.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Jamiʿ al-bayān'', vol. 5, p. 371.</ref> According to a [[hadith]], istighfar cleans the effects of the sins from one's soul.<ref>Ibn Fahd al-Ḥillī, ''ʿUddat al-dāʿī'', p. 265.</ref>

According to the Qur'an 71:11-12, istighfar has as an effect the abundance of rains, removes poverty and helps increase one's livelihood. According to hadiths, istighfar leads to the increase of one's children.

* In some Qur'anic verses, resort to others, such as the Prophet (s), in asking for divine forgiveness is mentioned (e.g. Qur'an 4:64).

* In other verses of the Qur'an, God orders the Prophet (s) to ask God to forgive him and his people (e.g. [[Qur'an 47]]:19).

* Some Qur'anic verses recommend believers to ask God to forgive their parents and other relatives as well as other believers (e.g. [[Qur'an 14]]:41, 71:28, 7:151, 59:10).

* Some verses forbid the Prophet (s) and [[believer]]s to ask God to forgive polytheists; this implies that it is permissible to ask Him to forgive believers (e.g. 7:113).

* Some verses ([[Qur'an 12]]:97-98) imply that it is permissible to resort to others (such as prophets or Imams) to ask for divine forgiveness, because when the Prophet [[Jacob (a)]]'s children asked him to ask God to forgive them, he promised them to ask Him so in the future.

Since [[prophets]] (a) are [[Infallibles]], their istighfar does not mean asking God to forgive their sins.<ref>Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 6, p. 368; vol. 18, p. 254.</ref> According to Shiites and many [[jurists]] from the schools of [[Malik]], [[Abu Hanifa]], and [[Shafi'i]], all prophets are infallibles and they never commit even minor sins, since all people are commissioned to follow their lead, which is incompatible with their being fallible.<ref>Qurṭubī, ''al-Jāmiʿ li-aḥkām al-Qurʾān'', vol. 1, p. 211-212; Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 6, p. 367.</ref> Moreover, the Qur'an has described prophets as "mukhlasun".<ref>Qurʾān, 38:46; 12:24; 19:51.</ref> According to the [[Qur'an 38]]:82-83, there is no way for the [[Satan]] to tempt and deceive "mukhlasun" (dedicated servants). Thus istighfar in the case of prophets (a) should be explained in different ways.

* The prophets' missions had effects that seemed wrong to many people. Thus they asked God to cover those effects from people. For example, people of [[Mecca]] thought that the Prophet (s) was an aggressive person who overlooked the traditions. However, after the [[Hudaybiyya peace treaty]] and the [[conquest of Mecca]], they learned the truth. And about the Prophet [[Musa (a)]], the [[Qur'an 26]]:14 says: "they hold a sin against me", although it was not a sin for Prophet Moses (a) to kill the man from Copts, since it counted as a case of helping an oppressed person. However, it was considered by people as a sin, and thus Moses (a) asked God to forgive him, in the sense of covering the deed from people so that they no longer consider him as sinful.<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 22, p. 19-21; Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 18, p. 254.</ref> Likewise, according to the Qur'an 7:129, "they [that is, [[Israelites]]] replied: 'we were hurt before you came to us, and after you came to us.'" Thus they blamed Musa (a) for their troubles.

According to the [[Qur'an 42]]:5 and 40:7, angels ask God to forgive the sins of people on Earth. Both verses talk about angels asking God to forgive others, rather than themselves.

According to the [[Qur'an 9]]:113, the [[Prophet (s)]] and other believers are prohibited from asking God to forgive [[polytheism|polytheists]] and pagans. This is because such a request is pointless,<ref>Qurʾān, 4:48, 116.</ref> since God will never forgive them. Some scholars hold that the prohibition is because if believers think that God may forgive polytheists, they would think that their faith gives them no advantage to them over polytheists, since they both might be forgiven by God.<ref>Ibn ʿĀshūr, ''al-Taḥrīr wa l-tanwīr'', vol. 10, p. 214. </ref> Moreover, istighfar is an expression of love and attachment to polytheists, which is forbidden by God.<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 8, p. 155.</ref>

After prohibiting istighfar for polytheists, the Qur'an refers to why the Prophet [[Ibrahim (a)]] asked God to forgive [[Azar]]; according to the verse (Qur'an 9:114), he asked God for Azar's forgiveness only when he still hoped that Azar would believe in God; thus he promised him to asked for his forgiveness. However, when he realized that Azar was an enemy of God, he dissociated himself from him.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 11, p. 77, 88; vol. 11, p. 15.</ref>

According to the Qur'an, istighfar for [[hypocrite]]s (munafiqun) is ineffective, since they do not believe in God and the Prophet (s) and there is no way for them to be guided to the right path.<ref>Qurʾān, 9:80.</ref>