The Chief Form of Seeking Allah’s Forgiveness:

On the authority of Shaddad ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Aalihi Wa Sallam, said, “The chief of prayers for forgiveness is:

“0 Allah! You are my Cherisher. There is no deity except You. You have created me and I am Your servant and as far as possible, I abide by my solemn promise and covenant (which I made to You). I seek Your protection against the consequences of my wrongdoings. I fully acknowledge the grace You have bestowed upon me and I confess my faults. So pardon me my sins as none besides You can pardon sins.”

The Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Aalihi Wa Sallam, added, “If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it and dies before the morning he will be from the people of Paradise.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 75, Number 318

Benefit: According to the Hadeeth anyone who recites Sayyidul lstighfaar with conviction and devotion once during the day or night, and if he happens to die on that day or night he will surely enter Jannah.

It is for this reason that it has been named Sayyidul Istighfaar meaning The Chief Form of Repentance.

http://www.saleel.com/downloads/files/Morning%20%26%20Evening%20Duas.pdf

A brief profile of Imam Shaddad ibn Aws (the narrator of the abovementioned hadith):

1. Abu Darda’ has once said: “Every nation has its faqih (jurist) and jurist of this nation is Shaddad”
2. He also said: “Some people have been given knowledge, understanding and action and one of those is Shaddad”
3. Imam Shaddad (May Allah be pleased with him!) excelled beyond all Ansaries by 2 qualties:
a. whenever he spoke, was crystal clear
b. whenever he was in anger, he would be able to control it
4. Every night when he slept, he would woke-up and said: “O Allah, the fire keep me awake!”
5. In one occasion, Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saw Imam Shaddad in heavy thinking in the mosque and ask him why, and Imam Shaddad answered “The dunniyya has contracted me”. In reply to this, Prophet Muhammad (Allah blesss him and grant him peace) gave him glad tidings that “You must know that Syria and Jurusalem will be one day opened to Muslim, and you and your dad will become Imam of these countries”.
6. Imam Shaddad died at the age of 75 years old in 58 hijrah and had related 50hadith. His tomb is in Jurusalem.

The profiles were some of the notes from the 40 Hadith Nawawi lesson conveyed by Sidi Abdul Aziz of Glasgow. The hadith taught on the occasion was Hadith No. 17 which emphasize on the importance of being IHSAN=EXCELLENT in everything. InsyaAllah!

May Allah The Bountiful grant us His assistance and make easy all of our tasks.
Rabbi yasir wa a ‘in Ya Kareem!