What is the meaning of "أستغفرك لما لا أعلم" (I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know) in the supplication: "اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم، وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم" (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know)?

"Istighfar" (seeking forgiveness) is the request for the forgiveness of a sin; meaning its concealment and overlooking. Its origin is from "ghufran," meaning covering. "Maghfirah" is Allah Almighty clothing sinners with pardon. The meaning of seeking forgiveness for something one does not know is that one asks Allah to forgive him for what Allah knows to be polytheism, but the servant does not know it to be polytheism.