The importance of making istighfar

 The importance of making istighfar 

Alhamdulillah, istighfar is something that a believer should never play with it. 

Saying subhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar laa ilaha illa Allah. 

These words are more beloved in the sight of Allah. 

As reported in hadith, 

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "(There are) two words which are dear to the Beneficent (Allah) and very light (easy) for the tongue (to say), but very heavy in weight inthe balance. They are: ''Subhan Allah wa-bi hamdihi'' and ''Subhan Allah Al-`Azim." (see Hadith 6682).

As reported in hadith, 

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

He who uttered these words:" There is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner with Him. Sovereignty belongs to Him and all the praise is due to Him, and He is Potent over everything" one hundred times every day there is a reward of emancipating ten slaves for him, and there are recorded hundred virtues to his credit, and hundred vices are blotted out from his scroll, and that is a safeguard for him against the Satan on that day till evening and no one brings anything more excellent than this, except one who has done more than this (who utters these words more than one hundred times and does more good acts) and he who utters:" Hallowed be Allah, and all praise is due to Him," one hundred times a day, his sins are obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean.

Sahih Muslim 2691.

Istighfar is to seek forgiveness of Allah and the messenger of Allah pbuh said,

I use to seek forgiveness of Allah hundred times a day.

Sahih.

In some narration, it says seventy times a day.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying." By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6307.