Specifying a particular number of times for praying for forgiveness (istighfaar)

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Is it permissible to pray for forgiveness a particular number of times, such as saying it one hundred times today and two hundred times tomorrow?.
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Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

It is mustahabb for the Muslim to pray for forgiveness a great deal. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray for forgiveness one hundred times every day and night. 

It was narrated from al-Agharr al-Muzani (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I ask Allaah for forgiveness one hundred times a day.” Narrated by Muslim (2702).  

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I ask Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, for forgiveness and I repent to Him one hundred times every day.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra (6/114) and by Ahmad in al-Musnad (2/450); it was classed as hasan by the commentators on al-Musnad. 

And Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “By Allaah, I ask Allaah for forgiveness and I repent to Him more than seventy times every day.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6307). 

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We used to count the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying in a single gathering one hundred times: Rabb ighfir li wa tubb ‘alayya innaka anta al-Tawwaab al-Raheem (O Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance, for You are the Acceptor of repentance, the Most Merciful). Narrated by Abu Dawood (1516) and al-Tirmidhi (3430); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I never saw anyone say “Astighfir Allaah wa atoobu ilayh (I ask Allaah for forgiveness and I repent to him)” more than the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra (6/118). 

If you want to stick to this number (one hundred) following thereby the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then you will have the reward. And if you want to do more than that, there is nothing wrong with it so long as you do not choose a specific number or a specific way; rather when doing the additional amount you should do whatever is easy for you, because it is not prescribed to set a specific number for acts of worship if it is not narrated in the shar’i texts. 

And Allaah knows best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah's Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in Islam

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