Ibn Taymiyyah on Seeking Forgiveness
October 25, 2022 § Leave a comment
In the nine volume collection of Ibn Taymiyyah’s works which Shaikh ʿUzair Shams checked and brought to light bi ithnillah, the Shaikh of the Shaikhs of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, said, “A person’s seeking forgiveness from Allaah [istighfār] is more important than all duʿās.”
Jāmiʿul-Masāʾil, vol. 6, p. 277.
Advice Given to Shaikh ’Uthaimeen by His Shaikhs
December 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Some of my Shaikhs mentioned to me that it befits a person who asks about an issue to seek Allaah’s Forgiveness in abundance, deriving that from The Most High’s Statement, ‘Surely, We have sent down to you the Book in truth that you might judge between men by that which Allaah has shown you, so be not a pleader for the treacherous. And seek the Forgiveness of Allaah, certainly, Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,’ [Nisaa 4: 105-106] because seeking Allaah’s Forgiveness in abundance necessitates the disappearance of the effects of sins which are a cause for forgetting knowledge and [a cause of] ignorance.”
Al-Khilaaf bainal-’Ulemaa, pp. 37-38.
Uthaimeen on Why We Say, “[I ask You for] Your Forgiveness,” Upon Leaving the Toilet
March 2, 2013 § 1 Comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked about the statement of some scholars that the significance of a person’s saying, “[I ask You for] Your Forgiveness [غُفْرَانَكَ],” upon leaving the toilet is due to the fact that since he had been prevented from remembering Allaah at that time it is befitting for him to seek Allaah’s Forgiveness [for that upon leaving], is that correct?
He replied, “That is debatable, because the person [in question] has only been prevented from remembering Allaah due to an order from Allaah, and if it is due to Allaah’s order then he has not exposed himself to punishment, in fact [by doing so] he has put himself forward for a reward, that is why a menstruating woman does not pray or fast: when she then becomes clean is it a part of the Sunnah for her to seek Allaah’s forgiveness for not having prayed and fasted during her menstrual days? Absolutely not, no-one has ever said that.
Based upon this, it becomes clear that the significance [of saying, “[I ask You for] Your Forgiveness [غُفْرَانَكَ],” upon leaving the toilet] is that when a person has unburdened himself from something harmful to the body he calls to mind the harm of sinning, and so asks Allaah to lighten the harm done by sinning just as He has favoured him by lightening the harm to the body, and this is a meaning which is appropriate in terms of remembering a certain thing through another.”
Majmoo’ Rasaail wa Fataawaa ash-Shaikh Ibn ’Uthaimeen, 11/107.
Gifts of Knowledge 