﷽ Al-Asmaa ul-Husna : Benefits of reciting Ya Ghaffar (يا غفّار)

1. Name

الغفّار
Al-Ghaffar

2. Meaning

The Repeatedly Forgiving
The Absolute Pardoner
The Absolver
The Condoner

3. Explanation

The One who accepts repentance and veils or forgives our faults and sins, time and time again. The One who sets us free from the guilt and shame of our own sins and faults, such that we may discover inner harmony and peace. The One who protects us from the effects of our faults and sins, both in the present world and the future. The One who accepts repentance and sets aright our faults and sins. The One who veils, forgives or transforms our faults and sins in such a manner that we may go on without guilt or shame. The One who can set aright, or transform, wrong deeds and change them into what become good deeds.

4. Quran

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ

But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance. (20:82)

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ

Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver. (38:66)

أَلَا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ

Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver. (39:5)

وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ

And I invite you to the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver. (40:42)

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا

And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (71:10)

غَافِرِ الذَّنبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ الْعِقَابِ ذِي الطَّوْلِ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ إِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

The Forgiver of sin, Acceptor of repentance, Severe in punishment, Owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination. (40:3)

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (4:110)

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (28:16)

لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا

That Allah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path. (48:2)

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah ? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (3:135)

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (25:70)

وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (24:22)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin. (4:48)

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination. (42:43)

تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِن فَوْقِهِنَّ ۚ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels exalt [ Allah ] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (42:5)

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good. (3:134)

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." (39:53)

5. Hadith

5.1 Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr : Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (رضی الله عنهم) said to the Prophet "O Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)! Teach me an invocation with which I may invoke Allah in my prayers." The Prophet said, "Say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا، وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مَغْفِرَةً، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

O Allah! I have wronged my soul very much (oppressed myself), and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your Forgiveness upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

(Sahih al-Bukhari 7387, 7388)

5.2 Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (رضی الله عنه) reported: I requested the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to teach me a supplication which I could recite in my Salat (prayer). Thereupon he said, "Recite:

اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلمًا كثيرًا، ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت، فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك، وارحمني، إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم‏

'O Allah! I have considerably wronged myself. There is none to forgive the sins but You. So grant me pardon and have mercy on me. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Compassionate'."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 17, Hadith 11)

5.3 Ibn Umar (رضی الله عنه) said: “In one sitting of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), one could count that he said a hundred time, before he would get up:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَىَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الْغَفُورُ ‏

‘O my Lord, forgive me, and accept my repentance. Verily, You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Forgiving’.”

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3434)

5.4 Narrated Mihjan ibn al-Adra' (رضی الله عنه): The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

O Allah! I ask You, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, Who begetteth not, nor was begotten, and there is none comparable unto Thee, that You may forgive me my sins, You are Most Forgiving, Merciful.

He (the Prophet) said: He has been forgiven (repeating three times).

(Sunan Abi Dawud 985, Sunan an-Nasa'i 1301)

5.5 Wathilah bin Al-Asqa' (رضی الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) led the funeral prayer of a Muslim man in our presence, and I heard him saying

‏اللهم إن فلان ابن فلان في ذمتك وحبل جوارك، فقه فتنة القبر، وعذاب النار، وأنت أهل الوفاء والحمد؛ اللهم اغفر له وارحمه، إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم

(If the dead person is a woman, one can change hu in some words here with ha)

"O Allah, (so-and-so son of so-and-so) is in Your Protection and inside the surroundings of Your Refuge. Safeguard him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Hell. You keep Your Promise and You deserve to be praised. O Allah! Forgive him and be merciful to him. Indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 7, Hadith 45)

5.6 It was narrated that Wathilah bin Asqa’ (رضی الله عنه) said: “The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) offered the funeral prayer for a man among the Muslims and I heard him say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلاَنَ بْنَ فُلاَنٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَقِّ فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

'O Allah, so-and-so the son of so-and-so is in Your case and under Your protection. Protect him from the trial of the grave and the torment of the Fire, for You are the One Who keeps the promise and You are the Truth. Forgive him and have mercy on him, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful'.”

(Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 1499)

5.7 Narrated Ibn `Abbas (رضی الله عنه):

A man who wants to perform the Hajj (from Mecca) can perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba as long as he is not in the state of Ihram till he assumes the Ihram for Hajj. Then, if he rides and proceeds to `Arafat, he should take a Hadi (i.e. animal for sacrifice), either a camel or a cow or a sheep, whatever he can afford; but if he cannot afford it, he should fast for three days during the Hajj before the day of `Arafat, but if the third day of his fasting happens to be the day of `Arafat (i.e. 9th of Dhul-Hijja) then it is no sin for him (to fast on it). Then he should proceed to `Arafat and stay there from the time of the `Asr prayer till darkness falls. Then the pilgrims should proceed from `Arafat, and when they have departed from it, they reach Jam' (i.e. Al-Muzdalifa) where they ask Allah to help them to be righteous and dutiful to Him, and there they remember Allah greatly or say Takbir (i.e. Allah is Greater) and Tahlil (i.e. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah) repeatedly before dawn breaks. Then, after offering the morning (Fajr) prayer you should pass on (to Mina) for the people used to do so and Allah said:

‏ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ‏

"Then depart from the place whence all the people depart. And ask for Allah's Forgiveness. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (2:199)

Then you should go on doing so till you throw pebbles over the Jamra.

5.8 Al-Agharr Al-Muzani (رضی الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

إنه ليغان على قلبي، وإني لأستغفر الله في اليوم مائة مرة‏

"Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 1)

5.9 Abu Hurairah (رضی الله عنه) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying,

والله إني لأستغفر الله وأتوب إليه في اليوم أكثر من سبعين مرة‏

"I swear by Allah that I seek Allah's Pardon and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 2)

5.10 Abu Hurairah (رضی الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

‏والذي نفسي بيده لو لم تذنبوا، لذهب الله تعالى بكم، ولجاء بقوم يذنبون فيستغفرون الله تعالى فيغفر لهم‏

"By the One in Whose Hand my soul is! If you do not commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah will certainly forgive them."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 3)

5.11 Ibn 'Umar (رضی الله عنه) said: We counted Messenger's (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) saying a hundred times during one single sitting:

رب اغفر لي، وتب على إنك أنت التواب الرحيم

"My Rubb! Forgive me and pardon me. Indeed, You are the Oft-Returning with compassion and Ever Merciful."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 4)

5.12 Ibn 'Abbas (رضی الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

من لزم الاستغفار ، جعل الله له من كل ضيق مخرجاً ومن كل هم فرجاً، ورزقه من حيث لا يحتسب

"If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 5)

5.13 Ibn Mas'ud (رضی الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, "He who says:

‏ أستغفر الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم وأتوب إليه

'I seek the forgiveness of Allah, there is no true god except Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self- Subsisting, and I turn to Him in repentance,'

his sins will be forgiven even if he should have run away from the battlefield (while he was engaged in fighting for the Cause of Allah)."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 6)

5.14 Shaddad bin Aus (رضی الله عنه) said: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, "The best supplication for seeking forgiveness (Syed-ul-Istighfar) is to say:

اللهم أنت ربي، لا إله إلا أنت ، خلقتني وأنا عبدك، وأنا على عهدك ووعدك ما استطعت أعوذ بك من شر ما صنعت أبوء لك بنعمتك علي، وأبوء بذنبي، فاغفر لي فإنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت

'O Allah! You are my Rubb. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon.'

He who supplicates in these terms during the day with firm belief in it and dies on the same day (before the evening), he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah; and if anyone supplicates in these terms during the night with firm belief in it and dies before the morning, he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 7)

5.15 Thauban (رضی الله عنه) reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) finished his Salat (prayer), he would beg forgiveness three times [by saying,

استغفر الله

'I seek forgiveness from Allah'

(3 times)] and then he would say:

‏اللهم أنت السلام، ومنك السلام، تباركت يا ياذا الجلال والإكرام

"O Allah! You are the Bestower of security and security comes from You; Blessed are You. O Possessor of glory and honour."

Imam Al-Auza'i (one of the subnarrators) of this Hadith was asked: "How forgiveness should be sought?" He replied: "I say:

‏أستغفر الله ، أستغفر الله‏

I seek forgiveness from Allah. I seek forgiveness from Allah."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 8)

5.16 'Aishah (رضي الله عنها) reported: Prior to his demise, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to supplicate frequently:

سبحان الله وبحمده، أستغفر الله، وأتوب إليه

"Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him. I beg forgiveness from Allah and I turn to Him in repentance."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 9)

5.17 Anas (رضی الله عنه) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) saying, "Allah, the Exalted, has said:

'O son of Adam! I shall go on forgiving you so long as you pray to Me and aspire for My forgiveness whatever may be your sins. O son of Adam! I do not care even if your sins should pile up to the sky and should you beg pardon of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam! If you come to Me with an earthful of sins and meet Me, not associating anything with Me in worship, I will certainly grant you as much pardon as will fill the earth'."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 10)

5.18 Ibn 'Umar (رضی الله عنه) said: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

"O women folk! You should give charity and be diligent in seeking Allah's forgiveness because I have seen (i.e., on the Night of the Ascension to the highest heavens) that dwellers of the Hell are women."

A woman amongst them said: "Why is it that the majority of the dwellers of Hell are women?" The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) replied,

"You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. In spite of your lacking in wisdom and failing in religion, you are depriving the wisest of men of their intelligence."

Upon this the woman asked: "What is the deficiency in our wisdom and in our religion?"

He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) replied, "

Your lack of wisdom can be well judged from the fact that the evidence of two women is equal to that one man. You do not offer Salat (prayer) for some days and you do not fast (the whole of) Ramadan sometimes, it is a deficiency in religion."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 20, Hadith 11)

5.19 Uqbah ibn Amir (رضی الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: O Uqbah,

صِلْ مَنْ قَطَعَكَ وَأَعْطِ مَنْ حَرَمَكَ وَاعْفُ عَمَّنْ ظَلَمَكَ

Reconcile whoever cuts you off, give to whoever deprives you, and pardon whoever wrongs you.

(Musnad Ahmad 16999)

5.20 'Umar (رضی الله عنه) was heard to say,

مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ لاَ يُرْحَمُ، وَلاَ يُغْفَرُ مَنْ لاَ يَغْفِرُ، وَلاَ يُعْفَ عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَعْفُ، وَلاَ يُوقَّ مَنْ لا يَتَوَقَّ

"Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not pardon will not be pardoned or protected."

(Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 371)

5.21 'Abdullah ibn al-'As (رضی الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

ارْحَمُوا تُرْحَمُوا، وَاغْفِرُوا يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ، وَيْلٌ لأَقْمَاعِ الْقَوْلِ، وَيْلٌ لِلْمُصِرِّينَ الَّذِينَ يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

"Show mercy and you will be shown mercy. Forgive and Allah will forgive you. Woe to the vessels that catch words (i.e. the ears). Woe to those who persist and consciously continue in what they are doing."

(Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 380)

5.22 Abu Abdullah Al-Jadali narrated: "I asked 'Aishah (رضي الله عنها) about the character of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). She said:

لَمْ يَكُنْ فَاحِشًا وَلاَ مُتَفَحِّشًا وَلاَ صَخَّابًا فِي الأَسْوَاقِ وَلاَ يَجْزِي بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَصْفَحُ

'He was not obscene, nor uttering obscenities, nor screaming in the markets, he would not return an evil with an evil, but rather he was pardoning and forgiving'."

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2016)

5.23 Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (رضی الله عنه): A man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and asked: Messenger of Allah! how often shall I forgive a servant? He gave no reply, so the man repeated what he had said, but he still kept silence. When he asked a third time, he replied:

اعْفُوا عَنْهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً

Forgive him seventy times daily.

(Sunan Abi Dawud 5164)

5.24 Abu Huraira (رضی الله عنه) reported Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as saying:

مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَالٍ وَمَا زَادَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلاَّ عِزًّا وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ لِلَّهِ إِلاَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ

Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect, and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).

(Sahih Muslim 2588)

5.25 It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (رضی الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book:

كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

“Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” (83:14)

(Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4244)

5.26 Abu Burda (رضي الله عنه) reported Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as saying:

يَجِيءُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ نَاسٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِذُنُوبٍ أَمْثَالِ الْجِبَالِ فَيَغْفِرُهَا اللَّهُ لَهُمْ وَيَضَعُهَا عَلَى الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى

There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their stead the Jews and the Christians.

(Sahih Muslim 2767 d)

5.27 Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported from Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) that his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, thus said.

A servant committed a sin and he said: O Allah, forgive me my sins, and Allah (the Exalted and Glorious) said: My servant commited a sin and then he came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins and takes to account (the sinner) for the sin. He then again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me my sin, and Allah, the Exalted and High, said: My servant committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or would take (him) to account for the sin. He again committed a sin and said: My Lord, forgive me for my sin, and Allah (the Exalted and High) said: My servant has committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins or takes (him) to account for sin. O servant, do what you like. I have granted you forgiveness.

'Abd al-A'la said: I do not know whether he said thrice or four times to do" what you desire".

(Sahih Muslim 2758 a)

5.28 Anas (رضي الله عنه) reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves imposition of haad, so impose it upon me according to the Book of Allah.

Thereupon he said: Were you not present with us at the time of prayer?
He said: Yes.
Thereupon he said: You have been granted pardon.

(Sahih Muslim 2764)

5.29 Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to say while prostrating himself:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلاَنِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ

O Lord, forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last, open and secret.

(Sahih Muslim 483)

6. Benefits of invoking (Ya Allahu) Ya Ghaffaru frequently

Develop virtues of repentance and forgiveness
Marifah (gnosis) of Allah
Distance from sin
Duas will be accepted
End poverty
Forgiveness of Allah, vast sustenance and limitless benefits (يا غفار اغفرلي ذنوبي)
End lawsuit and enemy/opponent will be humbled