The Power of Istighfar! *Real life incident*

،السلام عليكم  ورحمة الله   تعالى  وبركاته 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Our ustaadh told us a very inspirational story about istighfaar, so thought I'd post it here, for all to benefit inshaALLAH t3ala!

There was a couple who yearned to have children, but the woman wasnt conceiving. They went to the doctor and got a full check up,

and when the reports came, the doctor told them that it's not possible for them to have children, and there is no cure. 

The Man talked to a shaikh about it, who told him to do lots and lots of istighfar, and upon doing lots of istighfar, the woman became

pregnant, so they both went to the same doctor as before for a check up. Once the doctor was told that she is pregnant, and he took a

test, he became sooo surprised and asked what did they do?? The man told him that they just did a lot of istighfar and ALLAH t3ala

blessed them with this miracle as the doctor told him, that a part in his body was missing before, and now when he checked it was miraculously 

there, so due to the barakat of istighfar ALLAH t3ala gave them a miracle, and made an impossible thing possible. 

Even ALLAH t3ala says: 

"Saying, ´Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;

"´He will send rain to you in abundance;

"´Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water).

Also, this is a story about Hadhrat Ahmed ubnu Hambal: 

During his old age, while Imam Ahmed was travelling he stopped by a town. After the prayers, he wanted to stay for the night in the masjid yard because he didn’t know anyone in the town. Owing to his humility, he hadn’t introduced himself to anyone thinking that if he did, he would be welcomed by many people.

Failing to recognize Ahmed bin Hanbal, the caretaker of the mosque refused to let him stay in the mosque. As Imam Ahmed was quite old, the caretaker had to drag him out of the mosque. On seeing this, a baker from a nearby place felt pity for this man (Imam Ahmed) and offered to be the host to him for the night. During his stay with the baker, Imam Ahmed observed that the baker would constantly recite Istighfar (seek forgiveness from Allah). Imam Ahmed asked the baker if the constant practice of saying Istighfar had any effect on him. The baker responded by telling Imam Ahmed that Allah had accepted all of his duas (supplications), except one. When he asked him what dua was it that hadn’t been accepted, the baker replied that he had been asking Allah to provide him the privilege to meet the famous scholar Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal.

On this, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal said that Allah had not only listened to his dua but had dragged him onto his (the baker’s) doorsteps. 

Tafseer Al-Qurtubi states:

A man complained to Al-Hasan about a drought, and he said to him: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”

Another man complained to him of poverty and he said to him: “Pray to Allah to forgive you.”

Another man said to him: “Pray to Allah to bless me with a child.” He said: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”

Another complained to him that his garden was dry. He said to him: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”

He was asked about it and he said: “This is not my personal opinion, for Allah says in Surah Nooh (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance. And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.” Tafseer Al-Qurtubi (18/301-302)

Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam used to seek forgiveness of Allah swt many many times throughout the day, some say 70 times a day, though he is beloved of Allah swt. How much tawbah and astaghfar are we doing though we all are well aware of what kind of things we have done and said in the past and what kind of things we are capable of doing.