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To what extent is the statement valid that distinguishes between the correct and incorrect pronunciation of the word "Astagfirullah," claiming that pronouncing it with a fatḥah over the taʾ and faʾ means that Allah sought forgiveness for the servant?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The correct form for seeking forgiveness is "astaghfiru" (أستغفر) with a kasra (vowel mark resembling 'i') on the fa (ف), as in the Almighty’s saying about Jacob: "He said, 'I will soon seek forgiveness for you from my Lord.'" As for opening the fa (fatha, vowel mark resembling 'a'), it is correct if the verb is in the past tense, "istaghfarū" (استغفروا), as in the Almighty’s saying: "then they sought forgiveness from Allah," or if the hamza is a hamzat qat' (قطع) for interrogation, "astaghfarta" (أستغفرت), as in the Almighty’s saying: "It is all the same for them whether you seek forgiveness for them." The precise vocalization of the form depends on the context.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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