What does Al-astghfar mean?

Islam > Glossary > Al-astghfar

Discover the meaning of the term Al-astghfar (استغفار) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition Al-astghfar

Al-astghfar according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

Appropriating good deeds and turning toward them, and counting corrupt deeds as many and turning away from them. The theologians (ahl al-kalam) said: al-istighfar is seeking forgiveness after seeing the ugliness of the sin and turning away from it. A scholar said: al-istighfar is setting right a corrupt matter in word and in deed; one says: "aghfiru (rectify) this matter", that is: "rectify it as it should be rectified".

Al-astghfar according to Mu'jam al-Mustalahat al-Fiqhiyya

In the language: seeking forgiveness; the root ghafara means covering and concealing; one says: "Allah forgave (ghafara) his sins", meaning He concealed them. In technical usage: seeking forgiveness through supplication, repentance or another act of obedience. Ibn al-Qayyim said: when al-istighfar is mentioned alone, what is meant is repentance together with seeking forgiveness from Allah; it is the erasing of the sin, the removal of its trace and protection from its harm.

Concealment is inseparable from this meaning, as in the words of the Most High: (Quran 71:10: "Ask forgiveness of your Lord, for He is indeed Oft-Forgiving").

Al-astghfar according to At-Ta'rifat al-Fiqhiyya (Al-Barkati)

Seeking forgiveness after seeing the sin.

Related terms: Al-astghfar