Istighfar

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) was asked: Which one is better for the servant [of Allah], istighfar [seeking Allah's forgiveness in prayer] or tasbeeh [glorifying Allah in prayer]?

He answered:

❝ If a dress is clean, then incense and rose water are better, and if it is dirty then soap and water is better. tasbeeh is the incense of the pure ones, and istighfar is the soap of the sinners.❞

“My sin burdened me heavily. But when I measured it against Your Grace, O Lord, Your forgiveness came out greater.” – Imam Shafi

Women In Islam

Imam ibn al-Jawzi was once asked: "Is it better for me to make Tasbeeh (praise Allah) or to make Istighfaar (seek forgiveness)?" He replied: "The dirty robe is more in need of soap than perfume"
<Amathullah>

“Every person makes mistakes. The most blessed of those who make errors is he who repents.” [Tirmidhi, Al-Qiyama (Judgement); 49]

O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would for

give you.
[hadith Qudsi]

رَبَّنََآ إنَّنَآ ءَاَمنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana innanā amanna, faghfir lana, dhunoobana wa-qinna 'adhāāban-naar

(Our Lord! we have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire)
[surah Ali' Imran; 3:16]