اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِندِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Allahumma inni dhalamtu nafsi dhulman kathiran wa la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta faghfir li maghfiratan min 'indika warhamni innaka Antal-Ghafurur-Rahim
O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You. So grant me forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy on me. Indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Abu Bakr (RA) asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Teach me a du'a to say in my prayer." He taught him this one. Abu Bakr — the best man after the prophets, the first to believe, the one who gave everything for Islam — asked for a forgiveness du'a, not a du'a of status. And the Prophet ﷺ gave him one that opens with "I have wronged myself greatly." The greatest men have the deepest humility.
Related Du'as
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
I seek the forgiveness of Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, and I repent to Him.
Sahihرَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي
My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me.
Sahihلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.
Sahihرَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.
Sahih