The Lord of Forgiveness 03 – Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba Dhib
This is part of the series presented in Ramadan 2018: “The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness: Sayyid al Istighfar Explained, by Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba-Dhib.
In this segment, translated by Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Shayk Ba-Dhib continues looking at some of the many points of knowledge found in this formula, and what makes it the best way to seek forgiveness.
He starts by looking at thankfulness and what it entails, and having gratitude for everything, even for the gift of being grateful. He examines the relationship between Islam (submission to God), Iman (faith), and Ihsan (spiritual excellence), and how faith strengthens to become certainty, the foundation of the inward virtues of this religion.
Shaykh Ba-Dhib moves on to see just what makes this dua the foremost way of seeking forgiveness, and the significance of its various segments in understanding the best way to call on Allah Most High. He concludes by explaining the purpose of this treatise and its guidance on how to reflect, and how we can apply this in our lives, particularly in our Ramadan Quran recitation.
About the Series
This is part of the series presented in Ramadan 2018: “The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness: Sayyid al-Istighfar Explained”. In this five-part series, Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba-Dhib covers a short treatise on explaining the foremost way of seeking forgiveness as has come to us from Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The work, “Tiryaq al-Qulub w al-Absar fi Bayan al-Ulum allati Tadamanha Sayyid al-Istighfar” (The Healing of Hearts and Eyesight in Exposition of the Knowledges Contained in The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness) is by Imam Ahmed bin Zain al-Habshi (d. 1145 AH). Text, transliteration and translation of sayyid al-istighfar can be found below. اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, A’udhu bika min Sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u Laka bini’matika ‘alaiya, wa Abu’u Laka bidhanbi faghfirli fainnahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta O Allah, you are my Lord. There is no god but you. You have created me, and I am your servant—and I am upon Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the worst of what I have done. I fully admit to You Your blessings upon me, and I fully admit to You all my sins. So forgive me, for there is none to forgive sins but You.
