Question

What is the source of this Hadith, and is it sahih?

Narrated Abu Bakr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) “I asked Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to teach me an invocation so that I may invoke Allah with it in my Salah. He told me to say, ‘Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathira wala yaghfirudh dhunuba illa anta faghfirli maghfiratam min ‘indika war hamni innaka Antal Ghafurur Rahim.”

Also please provide the translation.

Answer

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim (rahimahumallah) have recorded this narration in their Sahih. The narration is therefore authentic.

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 834, 6326 and Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2705)

Arabic text of the du’a

اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا، وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ، وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathira wala yaghfirudh dhunuba illa anta faghfirli maghfiratam min ‘indika war hamni innaka antal ghafurur rahim

Translation

O Allah! I have greatly wronged myself and none forgives sins except You, so grant me Your forgiveness and have mercy on me. You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar