Allah (SWT) says in Surah az-Zumar: Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
My dear brothers and sisters Allah forgives the sins of the repenter even if they are as many as the foam of the ocean. I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve heard people says that they have committed so many sins that they feel like there salah or the act of wearing hijab or going to Islamic gatherings will not be accepted by Allah. For them and us here is a short reminder from what I have read in the book The Most Excellent Manner of Seeking Forgiveness, By Shaykh Abdur-Razzaaq Ibn Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbaad..
First when seeking the forgiveness of Allah we should use His perfect Names and Attributes. He is Al-Ghafoor: The one who forgive and He is Al-Ghaffaar: The Oft-Forgiving and He is Al-Afuww: The One who Pardons.
Some Conditions for having your Supplications for forgiveness answered:
Repentance is the only action that will cause our sins to be forgiven. In the Ayah above Allah tells us not to despair meaning, repent to him because He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Truly believing in: Allah, His Messengers, His books, His Angels, etc.
Devotion: We should do righteous deeds ex: praying, fearing and remembering Allah At all times in our hearts as well as with our limbs.
Remaning Steadfast: We should also be constant upon right guidance and remain on it till we return to our Lord.
Shaddad ibn Aws (ra) narrated that Allahs Messenger said the noblest and most excellent manner of seeking forgiveness is that the servant says:
Allaahumma ‘Anta Rabbee laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa ‘Anta, khalaqtanee wa ‘anaa ‘abduka, wa ‘anaa ‘alaa ‘ahdika wa wa’dika mas-tata’tu, ‘a’oothu bika min sharri maa sana’tu, ‘aboo’u laka bini’matika ‘alayya, wa ‘aboo’u bithanbee faghfir lee fa’innahu laa yaghfiruth-thunooba ‘illaa ‘Anta.
O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship but You. You created me and I am your slave. I keep Your covenant, and my pledge to You so far as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I admit to Your blessings upon me, and I admit to my misdeeds. Forgive me, for there is none who may forgive sins but You.
Whoever recites this with conviction in the evening and dies during that night shall enter Paradise, and whoever recites it with conviction in the morning and dies during that day shall enter Paradise, Al-Bukhari 7/150. Other reports are in An-Nasa’i and At-Tirmithi.
