Arabic root

غ-ف-ر

6 words from this root family

A2adjective

غَفُورٌ

ghafūr

forgiving / oft-forgiving

Example

نَبِّئْ عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

nabbiʾ ʿibādī annī ana al-ghafūru ar-raḥīm

Inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful (15:49)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Intensive adjective (فَعُول pattern). Related: مَغْفِرَةٌ (forgiveness), غَافِرٌ (one who forgives), اسْتِغْفَارٌ (seeking forgiveness). Pattern indicates habitual, abundant action.

Culture

Al-Ghafūr (The Oft-Forgiving) appears 91 times in the Quran, usually paired with Ar-Raḥīm. God's forgiveness is emphasized as vast and always available to the sincere.

B1noun

اسْتِغْفَارٌ

istighfār

seeking forgiveness

Example

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

wa-mā kāna Allāhu muʿadhdhibahum wa-hum yastaghfirūn

But Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness (8:33)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Masculine verbal noun (maṣdar) of اسْتَغْفَرَ (Form X = to seek forgiveness). The Form X pattern indicates seeking/requesting the root meaning. Here: seeking God's ghufr (covering/forgiveness).

Culture

Istighfār is a constant practice for Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ reportedly sought God's forgiveness over 70 times daily. The simple formula is 'Astaghfiru Allāh' (I seek God's forgiveness).

A1verb

غَفَرَ

ghafara

he forgave / he pardoned

Example

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا

rabbanā ighfir lanā dhunūbanā

Our Lord, forgive us our sins (3:147)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Form I verb. Imperative: اِغْفِرْ (forgive!). Noun: مَغْفِرَةٌ (forgiveness). Related names: الْغَفُورُ, الْغَفَّارُ (the Forgiving).

Culture

Seeking God's forgiveness (istighfār) is one of the most emphasized acts of worship in Islam.

A2verb

اسْتَغْفَرَ

istaghfara

he sought forgiveness

Example

وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ

wastaghfirū rabbakum thumma tūbū ilayh

And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him (11:3)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Form X verb (اِسْتَفْعَلَ, seeking pattern). Imperative: اِسْتَغْفِرْ. Maṣdar: اِسْتِغْفَارٌ (q147). Used with direct object (اللَّه/رَبّ).

Culture

Istighfār is recommended at all times. The Prophet ﷺ said he sought forgiveness more than 70 times daily. Often paired with tawbah.

B1noun

غُفْرَانٌ

ghufrān

forgiveness / pardon

Example

غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

ghufrānaka rabbanā wa-ilayka al-maṣīr

We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the destination (2:285)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Masculine noun (fuʿlān pattern, maṣdar). From غَفَرَ (q175). Used in the accusative as a direct object of an implied verb: نَسْأَلُكَ غُفْرَانَكَ (we ask Your forgiveness).

Culture

This duʿāʾ from the last verses of Surah al-Baqarah is recited by Muslims nightly. Acknowledging the need for divine forgiveness is central to Islamic spirituality.

A1phrase

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ

astaghfiru Allāh

I seek forgiveness from God

Example

وَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

wastaghfiri Allāha inna Allāha kāna ghafūran raḥīmā

And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful (4:106)

Root: غ-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

أَسْتَغْفِرُ is Form X present tense (I seek forgiveness). The full phrase is a complete sentence. Related verb: اِسْتَغْفَرَ (q218).

Culture

This phrase is the most common form of istighfār. The Prophet ﷺ said he said it over 100 times daily — making it the most practiced dhikr in Islam.