Introduction

If we were to choose just one practical instruction from among all of Ayatollah Bahjat's recommendations — one that is both simple and profound, useful for the beginner and the seasoned wayfarer alike — it would undoubtedly be "seeking forgiveness (Istighfār) a hundred times a day." This advice was neither his invention nor a personal litany; it is drawn from the Holy Quran and the conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). But what Bahjat added to it was a perspective that turned this small act into a window for self-knowledge and inner transformation.

Note: "Seeking forgiveness (Istighfār)" refers to the Islamic practice of repeatedly asking God for forgiveness and turning back to Him.

Body

Ayatollah Bahjat repeatedly said: "If a person seeks forgiveness (Istighfār) a hundred times a day, within a year he will reach a state where sin becomes heavy for him." This sentence appears simple, but it contains deep layers.

First, in Bahjat's view, seeking forgiveness (Istighfār) is not merely "asking for pardon"; it is an admission of poverty and need. One who says a hundred times a day, "I seek forgiveness from God, my Lord, and I turn to Him (Astaghfirullāha Rabbī wa Atūbu Ilayh)," is in fact reminding himself a hundred times that he is a being prone to error, in need of mercy, and on the path of return. This repetition gradually tears the veil of heedlessness.

Second, this act brings with it self-reckoning. When a person's tongue turns to seeking forgiveness (Istighfār) a hundred times a day, he is compelled to ask: "For what am I seeking forgiveness (Istighfār)?" And this very question is the beginning of awakening. Bahjat himself said: "We do not know our own disease, otherwise the cure would be easy." Seeking forgiveness (Istighfār) is the tool for knowing the disease.

Third, this prescription is doable for everyone. It requires no special master, no particular time, no fixed place. On the road, at home, at work, in the depths of the night. This is what Bahjat wanted: a way that every Muslim, in any circumstance, can take the first step upon.

And fourth, its connection to sincere repentance. Bahjat emphasized that seeking forgiveness (Istighfār) without abandoning sin is like a medicine the patient takes while continuing to feed his illness. True seeking of forgiveness (Istighfār) is that which draws a person toward correction, not merely temporary relief of conscience.

Conclusion

The hundredfold forgiveness (Istighfār) prescription appears small; but in the Islamic mystical tradition, small but constant acts are more effective than great but occasional ones. With this recommendation, Ayatollah Bahjat in fact points to a door whose key is in the pocket of every Muslim. It is enough to say this remembrance a hundred times a day, with presence of heart, and to let this repetition gradually soften our hearts. Perhaps after a year, as he himself promised, sin will become heavy for us; and this is the first sign of a soul coming back to life. In the next article, we will turn to another of his practical teachings: "reciting Surah al-Waqi'ah before sleep" and its connection to the remembrance of death and the Hereafter.

Resources for further reading:

· Rakhshād, Muhammad Husayn. In the Presence of Ayatollah Bahjat. Qom: Samā.

· Al-Kulaynī, Muhammad ibn Yaʿqūb. Al-Kāfī, Vol. 2 (Book of Supplication and Seeking Forgiveness). Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah.

· The Holy Quran, Surah Hūd (11:90) and Surah Nūh (71:10).