True meaning of istighfār in Islam
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 417
٤١٧. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام) لِقَائِلٍ قَالَ بِحَضْرَتِهِ: أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ.
417. Someone said before Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him: “astaghfiru’llāh” (I ask Allāh’s forgiveness), then Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: