Benefits of asking Allah for forgiveness

Allah (SW) says concerning Nuh (A.S) in Surah Nuh (Q71:10-12)

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا

And  said,  ‘Ask  forgiveness  of  your  Lord.  Indeed,  He  is  ever  a  Perpetual  Forgiver.

يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا

He  will  send  [rain  from]  the  sky  upon  you  in  [continuing]  showers

وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا

And  give  you  increase  in  wealth  and  children  and  provide  for  you  gardens  and  provide for  you  rivers.

 He also says in Surah Hud (Q11:52)

وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِينَ

And  O  my  people,  ask  forgiveness  of  your  Lord  and  then  repent  to  Him.  He  will  send [rain  from]  the  sky  upon  you  in  showers  and  increase  you  in  strength  [added]  to  your strength.  And  do  not  turn  away,  [being]  criminals.”

He also says in Surah Anfaal (Q8:33)

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

But Allah would  not  punish  them  while  you,  [O  Muhammad],  are  among  them,  and Allah would  not  punish  them  while  they  seek  forgiveness.

The Prophet ﷺ said

‏قال صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( من لزم الاستغفار جعل الله له من كل هم فرجا ومن كل ضيق مخرجا ورزقه من حيث لا يحتسب )

“If anyone persists in praying for forgiveness, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.(Abu Dawud Book 8 Hadith 103)

 

Summary of the Benefits of asking Allah for forgiveness

1. If we persist in Allah for forgiveness He will relieve us from every anxiety .(Abu Dawud Book 8 Hadith 103)
2. Allah will give us a way out of every distress. (Abu Dawud Book 8 Hadith 103)
3. Allah will provide us sustenance from where we expect not. (Abu Dawud Book 8 Hadith 103)
4. Allah will send us rain in continuing showers. (Q71:11)
5. If you do not have a child then persist in asking Allah for forgiveness and Allah (SW) will grant you a child. (Q71:12)
6. If you want wealth then persist in asking Allah for forgiveness and Allah will give you wealth (Q71:12)

A man once came to al-Hasan al-Basri and complained to him:

“The sky does not shower us with rain.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness ”

Then another person came to him and said, “I complain of poverty.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness”

Then another person came to him and complained, “My wife is barren; she cannot bear children.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness.”

The people who were present, said to al-Hasan: “Every time a person came to you complaining, you instructed them to seek Allah’s forgiveness?”

Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “Have you not read the statement of Allah when He (swt) said: “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance; increase you in wealth and children; grant you gardens and bestow on you rivers.” [Nuh (71):10-12]

Best way of asking for forgiveness is The Sayyidul Istighfar

It was narrated from Shaddaad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):

 “The best of prayers for forgiveness is:

Allaahumma anta rabbiy laa ilaaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma astata’tu. A’oodhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu, aboo’u laka bi ni’matika ‘alayya wa aboo’u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu laa yaghfir al-dhunooba illa anta 

(O Allaah, You are my Lord, there is no god but You. You have created me and I am Your slave and I am keeping my promise and covenant to You as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I do. I acknowledge Your blessing and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for there is none who can forgive sin except You).”

He said:

“Whoever says this during the day, believing in it firmly, and dies on that day before evening comes, he will be one of the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night, believing firmly in it, and dies before morning comes, he will be one of the people of Paradise.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6306)