Seeking Forgiveness: Tradition of the Prophetsand the Righteous

The Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, and the virtuous and
righteous people were the quickest of all to comply with thecall of
Allaah The Almighty.
Our father Aadam (Adam) and ourmother Hawwaa' (Eve), may Allaah exalt
their mention:
They responded to the call of Allaah The Almighty immediately after
they disobeyed Him when Shaytaan (Satan) caused them to slip and drove
them to commit a sin. They hastened to show remorse and to repent.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {They said, "Our Lord, we have
wronged ourselves, and if You donot forgive us and have mercy upon us,
we will surely be amongthe losers.} [Quran 7:23]
Nooh (Noah) :
When he felt sympathy for his disbelieving son, he said (what means):
{…"My Lord, indeedmy son is of my family; and indeed, Your promise is
true; and You Are the most just of judges!} [Quran 11:45] Then Allaah
The Almighty Said to him (what means): {…"O Nooh, indeed he is not of
your family; indeed, he is [one whose] work was other than righteous,
so ask Me not for that about which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I
advise you, lest you be among the ignorant.} [Quran 11:46]
Then, Nooh asked for the forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty, repenting
of what he said. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {… "My Lord, I
seekrefuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And
unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the
losers.} [Quran 11:47]
Besides, after Allaah The Exalted had punished the disbelieving people
of Nooh with drowning and saved the believingpeople with Nooh he
said(which means): {My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever
enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women.
And do notincrease the wrongdoers except in destruction.} [Quran
71:28]
Ibraaheem (Abraham) :
Ibraaheem who was the intimate friend of Allaah The Exalted, said in
the verse (which means): {And who I aspire that Hewill forgive me my
sin on the Day of Recompense.} [Quran 26:82]
Moosa (Moses) :
Moosa says in the verse (which means): {He said, "My Lord, indeed I
have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is
the Forgiving, the Merciful.} [Quran 28:16] He also says (what means):
{[Moosa] said, "My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into
Your mercy, for Youare the Most Merciful of the merciful.} [Quran
7:151]
Muhammad :
The Companions of the Prophet narrated that the Prophet used to seek
the forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty at least one hundred times in
each gathering,saying: "O Lord, forgive my sins and grant me (accept
my) repentance; for You are the Accepting of repentance, the
Merciful." In another version: "… You are the Forgiving, the
Merciful." [Abu Daawood] The Prophet said: "By Allaah! I ask for
forgiveness from Allaah The Exalted and turn to Him in repentance more
than seventy times a day." [Al-Bukhaari]
Furthermore, Allaah The Almightyurges the Prophet to seek His
forgiveness. He, the Exalted, Says (what means): {… ask forgiveness
for your sin and for the believing men and believing women…} [Quran
47:19]
Yoonus (Jonah) :
Prophet Yoonus called out inthe darkness of the whale's belly (what
means): {There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have
been of the wrongdoers.} [Quran 21:87]
Daawood (David) :
Daawood supplicated Allaah The Exalted as Allaah The Exalted Says
(what means): {And Daawood became certain that Wehad tried him, and he
asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration]
and turned in repentance [to Allaah].} [Quran 38: 24]
Abu Bakr :
Abu Bakr the best of this nation after the Prophet asked the Prophet
"O Messenger of Allaah, teach me an invocation with which I may invoke
Allaah in my prayers." The Prophet said: "Say, 'Allaahumma inni
thalamtu nafsi thulman katheeran wa la yaghfir ath-thunoob illa ant;
ighfir li maghfiratan min 'indik wa irhamni, innaka anta Al-Ghafoor
Ar-Raheem (O Allaah, I have wronged my soul very much and none
forgives the sins but You; soplease bestow Your forgiveness and mercy
upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful).'"
[Al-Bukhaari]
'Umar :
'Umar said to the Prophet "O Messenger of Allaah, ask forgiveness for me."
There are numerous righteous and devout people other than these, who
used to seek the forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty frequently;
repentance was their banner, their request for forgiveness was their
slogan, and they repeatedly turned to Allaah The Almighty.