Speaking on Al-Kawthar program “Problems and Solutions”, Sami Khadra said asking Allah for forgiveness has been mentioned in the Holy Quran many times, noting that even the obedient people have to ask for Allah’s forgiveness.

He added that asking Allah for forgiveness is “a general course” and a proof of being a true servant of Allah.

Khadra added that there are different types of asking Allah’s forgiveness, saying one of them is the obligatory asking Allah’s forgiveness and the other type is the desirable asking Allah’s forgiveness while the third type is the absolute asking Allah’s forgiveness as an attempt to get used to remembering God.

He stressed that asking for Allah’s forgiveness is good.

The cleric noted that every Muslim has to always ask for Allah’s forgiveness even if he remembered an old sin he had repented of.

Referring to the benefits of asking Allah’s forgiveness, he quoted a part of a Quranic verse that says “And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength.”

Khadra noted that asking Allah’s forgiveness is one of the routes to devoutness, adding that one of the features of devoutness is repentance and that one of the features of repentance is asking Allah’s forgiveness.

He emphasized that Muslims have to perform dhikr (remembrance of Allah), including the utterance of “There is no God but Allah”, “All Praise belongs to Allah” and “Glory to Allah”, not only with tongue, but also with the heart through abstaining from haram.

Khadra reiterated that asking Allah’s forgiveness could be obligatory in some cases, citing a verse in the Quran that says " And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah ? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.”

He noted that the obligatory asking Allah for forgiveness occurs when the individual commits an immorality or wrong himself.

The cleric added that when God opened the door to supplication, He promised to answer the supplications and when Allah opened door to repentance, He promised to accept the repentance.

He also quoted Imam Ali (PBUH) as recommending asking Allah’s forgiveness.

Khadra quoted a Quranic verse as saying “Whoever commits evil, or wrongs his soul, then implores God for forgiveness, will find God Forgiving and Merciful.”

He stressed that asking Allah’s forgiveness is not only with tongue, but also by acts through returning the rights to their owners.

The desirable asking Allah’s forgiveness is asking forgiveness for an old act, Khadra said, adding the other type of asking Allah’s forgiveness which is for the sake of remembering God.

Allah asked his servants to ask forgiveness, he stressed.

Referring to the Quranic verse that says “The patient, and the truthful, and the reverent, and the charitable, and the seekers of forgiveness at dawn”, the cleric said seeking forgiveness is among the required attributes.

He added that Allah also asked pilgrims to seek Allah’s forgiveness, quoting the Quranic words "When you disperse from Arafat, remember God at the Sacred Landmark. And remember Him as He has guided you. Although, before that, you were of those astray. Then disperse from where the people disperse, and ask God for forgiveness. God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Khadra added that Allah ordered Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the height of his strength and victory to ask Allah’s forgiveness, citing the words of Allah “When there comes God's victory, and conquest. And you see the people entering God's religion in multitudes. Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness. He is the Accepter of Repentance.”