Cruelties and harassments coming from government
officials and others have their impact only on the zâhir [on the body and brain].
They do not penetrate the bâtin [heart]. They will cause benefits such as
thawâb in the Hereafter and an increase in the resplendence of the bâtin in the
world. One will not lose one’s attributes as a human being. Whereas the bâtin
will accept the incidences because they are created by Allâhu ta’âlâ, the zâhir will grieve over them. It is very useful to say istighfâr
for the elimination of
afflictions and disasters. It has been experienced many times. It is stated in
a hadîth-i-sherîf, “If a person says the istigfâr steadily
and very often, Allâhu ta’âlâ will
savehim from cares and troubles. He will send him sustenance in a way he does
not expect at all.” [It is
stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf, which is quoted in Merâq-il-felâh,
“If a person says thefollowing prayer after every namâz, all his sins will be
forgiven: “Estaghfirullah al ’azîm al-lezî lâ ilâha illâ huw-al-hayy-al-qayyûma
wa etubu ileyh.’ ” This faqîr
[Muhammad Ma’thûm] says the istighfâr seventy times after every farz namâz.
Following (the recipe given in) the hadîth-i-sherîf, I
first say, “Estaghfirullah al ’azîm al-lezî lâ ilâha illâ
huw-al-hayy-al-qayyûma wa etubu ileyh,” three times, and say only
“Estaghfirullah” the rest of the number. Alî bin Ebî Bekr says in Maârij-ul-hidâya, “Of all the ways of istighfâr, the most common one is the one taught by our Prophet: “If a personsays the following prayer twenty-five times, no accident ormisfortune will befall on his room, on his family, on his home or town: ‘Estaghfirullah al-lezî lâ ilâha illâ huw-ar-rahmân-ir-rahîm al-hayy-ul-qayyûmal-lezî lâ-yemûtu wa etubu ileyh Rabbi-ghfirlî’.” This prayer must be said every morning and every evening. Most scholars advised their disciples and children to say this prayer. They derived much benefit from this prayer.”