Is it obligatory to seek forgiveness for each sin individually, or is it permissible to seek forgiveness generally for all sins? And does remembering a sin mean that Allah has not forgiven it? And what are the proofs from the Quran and Sunnah for the permissibility of general seeking of forgiveness?

Sincere general repentance suffices its practitioner for sins he does not remember, based on the statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: "Whoever performs a general repentance, this repentance necessitates the forgiveness of all sins, even if he does not recall the specific sins, unless there is a counter-argument to this general statement that necessitates specification. For example, if he were to recall some sins, he would not repent from them due to his strong desire for them, or his belief that they are good and not evil. So, whatever he would not repent from if he recalled it, is not included in the repentance. As for what he would repent from if he recalled it specifically, general repentance encompasses it."

Among the prophetic supplications that contain general seeking of forgiveness is what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught Husayn to say: "O Allah, forgive me for what I have kept secret and what I have made public, and for what I have erred in and what I have done intentionally, and for what I have known and what I have been ignorant of." And what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to supplicate with: "O Allah, forgive me my mistakes and my ignorance, and my extravagance in my affairs, and what You know better than I. O Allah, forgive me my seriousness and my jest, my errors and my intentions, and all of that is with me. O Allah, forgive me for what I have put forth and what I have delayed, and for what I have kept secret and what I have made public, and what You know better than I. You are the Foremost and the Last, and You are over all things competent." And his saying in prostration: "O Allah, forgive me all my sins, the small and the great, the first and the last, the open and the secret." And his saying: "O Allah, I have indeed wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive me a forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for You are the Forgiving, the Merciful."