Repeated Repentance and Istighfar
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said,
“The Holy Prophet (S) was reciting Istighfar hundred times a day and was praying for his Maghfirat (salvation) though he had not committed a single sin.”
(Wasa’il ul-Shia, Kitabal Jihad)
It is also mentioned by him,
“The more one prays for pardoning of his sins the more good deeds will be credited to his account and on the Day of Judgement his deeds will appear shining.”
(Usul al-KÄfi)
Imam RiÄa (a.s.) says,
“The example of Istighfar is like that of a leaf trembling and making noise in the air. The one who recites Istighfar but does not stop sinning makes a mockery of God.”
(Usul al-KÄfi)
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says,
The Holy Prophet (S) never got up even from the smallest meeting without reciting Istighfar 25 times.
(Usul al-KÄfi)
Another Hadith mentions,
“The Holy Prophet (S) recited ‘Astahghfirullah WÄ tÅ«bo ilaih’ seventy times everyday.”
Saiyyid bin TawÅ«s, in his book Nahj ud-DÄwÄt writes that the Holy Prophet (S) has said that a man who is inflicted by poverty and hardship should recite ‘Astahghfirullah WÄ tÅ«bo ilaih’ thirty thousand times. The Lord Almighty will surely end his troubles. The narrator says this has been proved true by experience.