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Dua library · Forgiveness

Dua for forgiveness

No sin is too great for Allah’s forgiveness. “Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins” (Quran 39:53). These duas from the Quran and the Sunnah ask Allah for forgiveness and mercy in the words of the Prophets and of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Maafi ki dua, gunahon ki maafi ki dua aur Istighfar · مغفرت کی دعا

Dua for forgiveness 16 duas

1Quran

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿286﴾

On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith."

Quran 2:286 (Al-Baqara)
2Quran

ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿16﴾

(Namely), those who say: "Our Lord! we have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire;"-

Quran 3:16 (Aal-i-Imraan)
3Quran

وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿147﴾

All that they said was: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything We may have done that transgressed our duty: Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith."

Quran 3:147 (Aal-i-Imraan)
4Quran

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ ﴿23﴾

They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."

Quran 7:23 (Al-A'raaf)
5Quran

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِأَخِى وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِى رَحْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ﴿151﴾

Moses prayed: "O my Lord! forgive me and my brother! admit us to Thy mercy! for Thou art the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!"

Quran 7:151 (Al-A'raaf)
6Quran

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ ﴿47﴾

Noah said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless thou forgive me and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!"

Quran 11:47 (Hud)
7Quran

إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ﴿109﴾

"A part of My servants there was, who used to pray 'our Lord! we believe; then do Thou forgive us, and have mercy upon us: For Thou art the Best of those who show mercy!"

Quran 23:109 (Al-Muminoon)
8Quran

وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ﴿118﴾

So say: "O my Lord! grant Thou forgiveness and mercy for Thou art the Best of those who show mercy!"

Quran 23:118 (Al-Muminoon)
9Quran

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿16﴾

He prayed: "O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul! Do Thou then forgive me!" So (Allah) forgave him: for He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Quran 28:16 (Al-Qasas)
10Quran

وَٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّۭا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿10﴾

And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the Faith, and leave not, in our hearts, rancour (or sense of injury) against those who have believed. Our Lord! Thou art indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful."

Quran 59:10 (Al-Hashr)
11Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive me with forgiveness from You and have mercy on me; You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6326
12Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ

O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the east from the west.

Sahih al-Bukhari 744
13Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلاَنِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ

O Allah, forgive me all my sins — the small and the great, the first and the last, the open and the hidden.

Sahih Muslim 483
14Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

O Allah, You are Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.

Sunan Ibn Majah 3850
15Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي

O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, keep me well and provide for me.

Sahih Muslim 2697
16Sunnah

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَمِلْتُ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لَمْ أَعْمَلْ

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done and from the evil of what I have not done.

Sahih Muslim 2716

Arabic of the Quranic duas is from the Uthmani text with the English meaning by Abdullah Yusuf Ali; hadith duas are checked against the Arabic of the six books, with English meanings by Sukon.

How and when to make dua

  • Allah is near and answers: “When My servants ask you about Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me” (Quran 2:186), and “Call upon Me; I will respond to you” (Quran 40:60).
  • Dua is worship: the Prophet ﷺ said, “Dua is worship” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1479, Jami at-Tirmidhi 2969).
  • Begin with praise and salawat: praise Allah, send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, then ask (Jami at-Tirmidhi 3477).
  • Best times: the last third of the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145), between the adhan and the iqamah (Sunan Abi Dawud 521), in sujood (Sahih Muslim 482), and the special hour on Friday (Sahih al-Bukhari 935).
  • Be certain and patient: ask with a present heart and do not say “I prayed but was not answered” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6340).
  • You may make dua in any language, in your own words, as well as with these duas from the Quran and Sunnah.

Questions

What is the best dua for forgiveness?

This page gives 16 duas for forgiveness from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, each in Arabic with its meaning and exact reference. Any of them may be recited; many scholars recommend learning one or two and repeating them often, especially at the times when dua is answered.

Can I make dua for forgiveness in Hindi, Urdu or English?

Yes. You may make dua in any language and in your own words. Reciting the duas of the Quran and Sunnah in Arabic is best, and you can follow each with your own words in your language.

When is dua most likely to be answered?

In the last third of the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145), between the adhan and the iqamah (Sunan Abi Dawud 521), while in sujood (Sahih Muslim 482) and in the special hour on Friday (Sahih al-Bukhari 935).

Where can I find more duas?

The Sukon Dua Library has 101 duas from the Quran and Sunnah by topic, with a free PDF, and the Daily duas page has duas for everyday moments.