A Muslim does not wait until committing a major sin before seeking forgiveness. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "By Allah, I seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day." Reported by al-Bukhari (6307).

He also said, peace and blessings be upon him: "O people, turn to Allah in repentance, for I turn to Him in repentance one hundred times a day." Reported by Muslim (2702).

One form of seeking forgiveness is "أستغفر الله وأتوب إليه", meaning "I seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance." A Muslim may say it more than seventy or one hundred times. Repentance from sin, however, is obligatory and involves abandoning the sin, regretting it, resolving not to return to it, and restoring people's rights when the sin involves another person's rights. Repeating words of forgiveness while intending to continue the sin does not fulfill this repentance.

For the reported forms and their meanings, see The Virtue of Istighfar and Its Best Forms.

The morning and evening adhkar include affirming Allah's oneness, praising Him, seeking refuge in Him, and asking for well-being. Among the great remembrances a Muslim says during the day and night is Sayyid al-Istighfar, the foremost supplication for seeking forgiveness:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا 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 لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

"O Allah, You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshipped except You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I remain faithful to Your covenant and promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You."

Reported by al-Bukhari (6306). The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, explained that whoever says it during the day with certainty in it, then dies before evening, will be among the people of Paradise. Likewise, whoever says it at night with certainty in it, then dies before morning, will be among the people of Paradise. The hadith makes this virtue conditional upon certainty in what the supplicant is saying: affirming Allah's oneness and one's servitude, acknowledging Allah's favor and one's sin, and asking for forgiveness.

The other established wordings, together with their times and counts, can be found in Morning Adhkar and Evening Adhkar.

One simple remembrance is saying "سبحان الله وبحمده", meaning "Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him," one hundred times a day. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever says 'Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him' one hundred times in a day will have their sins erased, even if they are like the foam of the sea." Reported by al-Bukhari (6405).

A Muslim also says the following one hundred times a day:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ.

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He has power over all things."

In the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, whoever says this that number of times receives the reward of freeing ten slaves, has one hundred good deeds recorded and one hundred bad deeds erased, and is protected from Satan that day until evening. No one brings anything better than what they have brought except someone who does more. Reported by al-Bukhari (6403).

Protection comes from Allah, and remembrance is a prescribed means of obtaining it. Scholars understand the promise of sins being erased through such remembrances to concern minor sins, with major sins avoided. Major sins require repentance, and people's rights are not waived merely through remembrance.

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾

Allah says, in meaning: "Indeed, Allah and His angels send salah upon the Prophet. O believers, send salah upon him and greet him with peace." [Al-Ahzab: 56].

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever sends salah upon me once, Allah sends salah upon them ten times." Reported by Muslim (408).

One form is to say "اللهم صل وسلم على نبينا محمد", meaning "O Allah, send salah and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad." This is asking Allah to send salah and peace upon His Prophet, not directing supplication to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instead of Allah.

It is especially encouraged to send salah upon him frequently on Friday. He said, peace and blessings be upon him: "Among the best of your days is Friday, so send salah upon me frequently on that day, for your salah is presented to me." Reported by Abu Dawud (1531), and graded authentic by al-Albani. A Muslim does not attribute a particular count or a specific reward to the Sunnah without evidence.

After the final tashahhud and sending salah upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and before the salam, is a prescribed occasion for supplication. In the hadith of Ibn Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Then let him choose whichever supplication he likes best and supplicate." Reported by al-Bukhari (835).

Among the supplications reported for this occasion is:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ

"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah." Reported by Muslim (588).

A person then makes whatever prescribed supplications they can, remaining in the seated position of prayer without raising their hands for supplication at this point.

Comprehensive supplications bring together the good of one's religion, worldly life, and Hereafter in a few words. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, preferred comprehensive supplications and left other forms." Reported by Abu Dawud (1482), and graded authentic by al-Albani.

﴿رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ﴾

Among them are Allah's words, in meaning: "Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." [Al-Baqarah: 201]. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that this was among the supplications most frequently made by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Reported by al-Bukhari (6389).

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى

Among his supplications, peace and blessings be upon him, was: "O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and freedom from need." Reported by Muslim (2721).

Alongside these supplications, a Muslim asks their Lord for permissible needs, such as well-being, righteousness for their family, lawful provision, and repayment of debt, without asking for sin or transgressing. For other examples, see Comprehensive Duas of the Prophet.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When a man enters his home and remembers Allah upon entering and when eating, Satan says: 'You have neither a place to spend the night nor an evening meal.'" Reported by Muslim (2018).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.

When leaving, a Muslim says: "In the name of Allah. I place my trust in Allah. There is no power and no strength except through Allah." This is reported in the hadith of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated by Abu Dawud (5095), and graded authentic by al-Albani.

The wording for entering and leaving, together with its evidence, is detailed in Adhkar for Entering and Leaving Home.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to say during distress:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne." Reported by Muslim (2730).

This remembrance affirms Allah's oneness, glorifies Him, and expresses need for Him during hardship. Alongside supplication, a Muslim takes permissible practical steps, such as treatment, consultation, or asking for assistance from someone capable of providing it. This does not contradict reliance upon Allah.

For more reported remembrances, read Adhkar for Worry, Sadness, and Distress.

One Sunnah a person may overlook is supplicating for others in their absence. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whenever a Muslim servant supplicates for their fellow Muslim in their absence, the angel says: 'And for you the same.'" Reported by Muslim (2732).

Supplicate for your parents, your family, the sick, those whose needs you know, and Muslims generally. This does not depend on their asking you to supplicate or your telling them about it.

When rising to leave a gathering, a Muslim says:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ.

"Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance."

In the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, whoever sits in a gathering where they engage in much idle talk, then says this remembrance before leaving it, is forgiven for what occurred in that gathering. Reported by al-Tirmidhi (3433), who described it as a hasan gharib sahih hadith.

This remembrance is also prescribed at the end of a gathering for learning or ordinary conversation. It does not replace repentance from backbiting or wrongdoing, nor does it waive people's rights.

Among the etiquettes of supplication is beginning by praising and glorifying Allah and sending salah upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then asking for one's need. This is indicated by the hadith of Fadalah ibn Ubayd, may Allah be pleased with him, reported by Abu Dawud (1481), and graded authentic by al-Albani. A Muslim takes care to understand what they are saying and to ask for good, not sin or the severing of family ties.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "A servant's supplication continues to be answered so long as they do not supplicate for sin or the severing of family ties, and do not become impatient." When asked about impatience, he said: "They say: 'I have supplicated and supplicated, but I have not seen a response.' They then become disheartened and give up supplicating." Reported by Muslim (2735).

A Muslim therefore does not abandon supplication because what they asked for has not appeared at the time they wanted, nor conclude that delayed relief proves Allah does not accept their supplication. They supplicate, hope, and think well of their Lord while taking the prescribed practical steps.