What does "Astaghfirullāh" mean, and when should it be said?

"Astaghfirullāh" means "I seek forgiveness from Allah." It is said after sins, after acts of worship — the Prophet ﷺ would seek forgiveness three times upon finishing the prayer — and habitually throughout the day, since Allah says of the righteous, "and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness," and Nūḥ called his people saying, "Ask forgiveness of your Lord; indeed He is ever Forgiving." The Prophet ﷺ, though forgiven, said: "By Allah, I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day," and in another narration, "I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day." Saying it with the tongue while persisting in the sin without regret is not true istighfār — sincere repentance requires remorse, stopping the sin, and resolving not to return to it.

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