The best prayer for seeking forgiveness is to say: ”Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Khalaqtani wa ana `abduka wa ana `ala `ahdika wa wa`dika ma astata`t. A`udhu bika min sharri ma sana`tu, abu’u laka bi ni`matika `alayya wa abu’u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunub illa anta.”

Forgiveness means seeking protection from the evil of what is past, and repentance means returning to Allah and seeking protection from the evil of one’s own bad deeds which one fears may lie ahead in the future.