Is seeking forgiveness a form of remembrance or a supplication, and is it answered for a person in one of the three forms, or is it solely for the forgiveness of sins, if it is a supplication?

Seeking forgiveness (Istighfar) is one of the greatest forms of remembrance (dhikr). It is a request for forgiveness, a supplication (du'a), and a remembrance all at once. Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet to seek forgiveness. Therefore, the one who seeks forgiveness is remembering his Lord and supplicating to Him for the forgiveness of sins, and he is rewarded for that. He may attain forgiveness, or evil may be averted from him, or good may come to him. Thus, it is beneficial in all circumstances. For there is no supplicant who supplicates with a supplication that contains no sin or severance of kinship ties, except that it will be one of three outcomes: either his supplication is granted immediately, or a similar reward is stored for him, or a similar amount of evil is averted from him.