Shaddad ibn Aws

A Narrator of the Prophet’s ﷺ Words

Shaddad ibn Aws was an Ansari of the Khazraj, kinsman of the household of Hassan ibn Thabit. He transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ the chief of all words seeking forgiveness.

Virtues in the Hadith

سَيِّدُ الاسْتِغْفَارِ أَنْ تَقُولَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

”The chief of seeking forgiveness is to say: O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me, and I am Your slave, and I am upon Your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin — so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 · Book 80 (Invocations), Hadith 2 · USC-MSA: Vol. 8, Book 75, Hadith 318 · narrated by Shaddad ibn Aws

The Prophet ﷺ added that whoever says it during the day with certainty in it and dies that day before evening is among the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night with certainty in it and dies before morning is among the people of Paradise. 1 Sahih al-Bukhari · pp. 6306 — Shaddad ibn Aws — the Sayyid al-Istighfar and the Prophet's ﷺ promise for whoever says it with certainty.