What is the prayer of repentance?
The prayer of repentance (salat at-tawbah) is two voluntary rak'ahs you pray after a sin, followed by sincerely asking Allah for forgiveness. It is based on an authentic hadith and is recommended by all four schools. It's a beautiful way to turn back to Allah after a mistake.
The hadith behind it
Abu Bakr reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: no one commits a sin, then purifies himself well, prays two rak'ahs and asks Allah for forgiveness, except that Allah forgives him. Then he recited this verse (Sunan Abi Dawud 1521):
Scholars graded this narration as sound, and the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools all count salat at-tawbah as a recommended prayer.
How to pray it
- Make a careful wudu. The hadith mentions purifying yourself well.
- Pray two rak'ahs like any voluntary prayer, with the intention of repentance in your heart. There are no special surahs; recite whatever you know.
- Ask for forgiveness in sujood and after the salam, in your own words or with "Astaghfirullah." See What does "Astaghfirullah" mean and how often do I say it?
Pray it as soon as you can after the sin, avoiding the disliked times for voluntary prayer (after Fajr until sunrise, at midday, and after Asr until sunset).
The prayer is part of real repentance
The prayer is not a magic eraser on its own. Scholars explain that sincere tawbah means regretting the sin, stopping it, and intending not to return to it. If the sin involved another person's rights, like money or reputation, you also try to put that right. The prayer is the act of worship that sits on top of that sincere change.
What if I fall into the same sin again?
Repent again, and pray again. Allah's door doesn't close because you slipped twice. See Will Allah forgive me if I keep committing the same sin? And for sins from before you became Muslim, see Are all my sins forgiven when I become Muslim?
- Salat at-tawbah is two voluntary rak'ahs after a sin.
- It is based on a sound hadith in Sunan Abi Dawud 1521.
- Real repentance means regret, stopping, and resolving not to return.
- You can repeat it every time you need it.
People also ask
What are the forbidden times to pray?
The forbidden times to pray are after Fajr until sunrise, at the sun's zenith, and after Asr until sunset. Here's what's still allowed in each school.
Read the full answer →Is it haram to delay prayer?
It depends: delaying prayer within its time window is allowed, but letting the time run out on purpose is haram. Here's when delay is fine.
Read the full answer →Do I recite out loud or silently in prayer?
It depends: Fajr, Maghrib and Isha are recited out loud in the first two rakat, Dhuhr and Asr silently. How loud, praying alone, and behind an imam.
Read the full answer →Can I pray while I need the toilet?
It's better not to pray while you need the toilet; the Prophet discouraged it. Go first, make wudu, then pray, unless prayer time is running out.
Read the full answer →Is my fast valid if I don't pray?
According to most scholars, your fast is valid if you don't pray, but missing prayer is a bigger sin. See the Hanbali view and how to start praying.
Read the full answer →