أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّهَ
What it means
It asks Allah to forgive and cover our mistakes. The Prophet ﷺ said he sought Allah’s forgiveness more than seventy times a day (Sahih al-Bukhari 6307). If the best of people said it so often, it is clearly a normal, positive habit.
When to say it
- After a mistake: being rude, telling a lie, hurting someone.
- Three times straight after every prayer.
- Any time, as easy dhikr.
Keep it gentle
| Avoid | Try instead |
|---|---|
| “Say Astaghfirullah, you’re so bad!” | “Let’s say Astaghfirullah and start again.” |
| Using it as a punishment | Saying it together, calmly |
| Only after big mistakes | Also as daily dhikr, like the Prophet ﷺ |
After saying it, help your child fix the mistake too: apologise, return the toy, tell the truth.
Teacher’s tip: Say “Astaghfirullah” yourself when you make a small mistake in front of your child. It shows everyone needs it.
Our Duas & Adhkar programme teaches the after-prayer adhkar.
