Dua of Adam for Forgiveness:
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Transliteration:
Rabbanā ẓalamnā anfusanā wa in lam taghfir lanā wa tarḥamnā lanakūnanna mina l-khāsirīn
Translation:
Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.
Story Behind This Dua for Forgiveness
This du‘a marks the very first recorded supplication of humanity, the moment when mankind learned how to return to Allah after sin.
Prophet Adam (A.S.) and Hawwa (A.S.) were created and honored by Allah, placed in Jannah, and allowed to enjoy its blessings freely, with a single command: not to approach a specific tree. This command was not a deprivation, but a test of obedience and trust.
Shayṭān, driven by arrogance and envy, whispered to them, sowing doubt and false promises. Adam (A.S.) and Hawwa (A.S.) eventually slipped, not out of defiance, but human weakness. Immediately after realizing their mistake, they did not justify themselves, blame Shayṭān, or question Allah’s decree.
Instead, Allah taught them these words, a du‘a of pure accountability. They acknowledged their wrongdoing without excuses and placed their hope solely in Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.
This moment set the foundation of repentance for all of humanity. Adam (A.S.) did not persist in sin; he returned. And Allah, in His infinite mercy, accepted that return, teaching mankind that falling is human, but returning is divine.
Why This Dua Is Important?
This du‘a teaches us the correct way to repent, with honesty, humility, and complete dependence on Allah’s mercy.
It reminds us that:
- Sin does not remove us from Allah’s mercy
- Delay in repentance is more dangerous than the sin itself
- Acknowledging fault is the first step to forgiveness
This du‘a is especially powerful when:
- You feel guilt over past mistakes
- You seek sincere repentance
- You want to rebuild your relationship with Allah
- You fear spiritual loss
By reciting this du‘a, we affirm that without Allah’s forgiveness, true success is impossible and with it, even the gravest mistakes can be transformed into growth.
Incident from the Sunnah
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the virtue of sincere repentance and taught that returning to Allah is beloved to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every son of Adam sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.”
(Tirmidhi)
This hadith reflects the legacy of Prophet Adam (A.S.) himself, the first human, the first to err, and the first to repent. Through Adam’s example, the Prophet ﷺ taught the Ummah that repentance is not a sign of weakness, but of faith.
Related Duas:
Dua of Prophet Yunus
Dua of Prophet Ibrahim
Dua of Musa (A.S.)
Dua Before Sleeping
