Please authenticate the following Hadith:
Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that once a person came in the company of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and said, “My sins, my sins!” So Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to him, ‘Say:
Allahumma maghfiratuka awsa’u min dhunubi, wa rahmatuka arja ‘indi min ‘amali
(O Allah! Your forgiveness is vaster than my sins, and I am more hopeful of Your mercy than my good deeds)’
So the person said the words taught to him, and then Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told him to repeat it twice more, which he did. Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Go, for verily Allah has forgiven you!’”
Answer
Imam Hakim and Imam Bayhaqi (rahimahumallah) have recorded this Hadith.
(Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1 pg. 543/544 and Shu’abul Iman, Hadith: 6724)
‘Allamah Munawi (rahimahullah) has graded the chain sound (hasan).
(At Taysir, vol. 2 pg. 198. Also see: Targhib, vol. 2 pg. 472 and Al Adhkar: 1187)
Arabic text of the du’a:
اللهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ أَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَرَحْمَتُكَ أَرْجَى عِنْدِي مِنْ عَمَلِي
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar