Is repentance and seeking forgiveness permissible for unknown sins, and what is meant by the the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "And I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know"?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The abundance of sins that a person may not even be aware of necessitates a general repentance, comprehensive of all sins, known and unknown. Repentance is always obligatory because a person either falls short in what is commanded or transgresses what is forbidden. One seeks forgiveness for what they do not perceive as a sin, or for what they have forgotten. Concluding good deeds with seeking forgiveness, and the supplication "and I seek Your forgiveness for what You know," encompasses all sins, including those the servant is unaware of, such as hidden , and what the servant forgets, and Allah alone knows them all.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- 144428
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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