Said by: Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (as)
Status: ✅ Verified reference
Reference: Al-Kafi (Shaykh al-Kulayni), Volume 2, Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr, Chapter 188 (Bab al-Iqrar bi al-Dhunub — Confessing Sins and Regret for It), Hadith 8.
Arabic — core saying (excerpt):
مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً فَنَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرَ
English translation:
"There is no servant who commits a sin and then regrets it, except that Allah forgives him before he asks for forgiveness." The Hadith adds the matching promise for blessings: if a servant receives a blessing from Allah and recognises that it is from Allah, Allah forgives him before he offers his thanks.
Explanation: Allah does not wait for perfect words. The moment the heart truly regrets, His forgiveness is already on its way — before the tongue even says "Astaghfirullah". The same is true of gratitude: recognising a blessing as Allah's gift is itself rewarded. Allah responds to the heart first.
Allah does not wait for perfect words.