The 365 · Tazkiyah · Day 312 · Money
Tark al-Istighfār · Dry Tongue, Closed Sky
The disease
تَرْكُ الْاسْتِغْفَارِ
Tark al-Istighfār
The story
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās narrates that Hūd ﷺ told his people the same: ask Allah's forgiveness, and He will send rain in plenty. The drought of provision can be lifted by the rain of tongue-repentance. The Companions later applied this when the rain stopped in Madīnah; ʿUmar called for istighfār and the rain returned (al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mufrad 723).
Why it's named first
Istighfār is the daily medicine of the heart. The Prophet ﷺ used to ask forgiveness seventy or a hundred times a day, despite his sinlessness. The believer who has fallen into a Money sin and stops asking forgiveness is choosing dehydration; his soul has nothing to drink. The Qur'an's call in Hūd is direct: ask forgiveness from your Lord and then turn to Him, and He will give you good provision.
In the Qur'an
وَأَنِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَـٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِى فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ
“And [saying], "Seek forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favor his favor [i.e., reward]. But if you turn away, then indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a great Day.”
Svenska: där [ni förmanas] att be er Herre om förlåtelse [för era synder] och att i ånger vända åter till Honom. Då skall Han till en tidpunkt [som Han har] fastställt låta er njuta allt det goda [som ryms i detta liv], och [i det kommande livet] skall Han, efter vars och ens förtjänst, skänka alla som gör det goda och det rätta Sin nåds gåvor." Men om de vänder ryggen till, [säg]: "Jag bävar för det straff som väntar er på [Räkenskapens] dag,
In the Sunnah
«مَنْ لَزِمَ الْاسْتِغْفَارَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا، وَمِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا، وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ». 'Whoever holds to istighfār, Allah will give him relief from every distress, a way out from every difficulty, and provide him from where he does not expect.' (Abu Dawud 1518; Ibn Majah 3819)
The cure
Take istighfār as a daily medicine, not just as a response to specific sin. Say 'astaghfirullāh' 100 times daily, especially after fajr and after maghrib. Pair every haram-money moment with three deliberate astaghfirullāhs of the specific sin. The tongue gets used to returning.
What is at stake
A heart without istighfār becomes a heart that does not feel its own sins. The chronic neglect dries the soul.
A du'a for this day
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 بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I abide by Your covenant and promise as best 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.”
Bukhari 6306; Sayyid al-Istighfār (the master of seeking forgiveness)
The door of mercy
Al-Ghaffār, al-Ghafūr, the One who veils. He is named al-Ghaffār because His forgiveness is repeated without exhaustion.
A reflection to carry
Allah linked rain and provision to istighfār twice in Hūd. The dunyā droughts you face may be irrigated by your tongue. Try a week of intense istighfār and watch what the sky does.
Read the longer reflection
Istighfār is the secret medicine of the believing community. It is offered freely, returned generously, and effective in every climate. The Prophet ﷺ who had no sin would seek forgiveness more than seventy times a day; what does that say about those of us who do have sins and seek forgiveness less? Sūrat Hūd contains a stern teaching: ask, then turn, and your provision will be enjoyable for the term Allah has allotted. The connection between istighfār and rizq is real. Money sins narrow the channel; istighfār widens it again. May our tongues become accustomed to the word, and may our hearts soften under its rain.
Also on Day 312
A verse, a healing, and a Sunnah, every morning.
Subscribe, free