the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “When the Prophet ﷺ pronounced the opening takbir for the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while. I said, ‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah, during your silence between the takbir and the recitation, what do you say?’ He replied: ‘O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the east from the west. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth. O Allah, wash me of my sins with water, snow, and hail.’” (1)

This is more authentic than the hadith containing the opening supplication, “Glory be to You, O Allah, and all praise is Yours …” Yet both forms are permissible and sunnah. A person should begin with this one at times and with that one at other times, so that he may observe all the sunnahs and thereby revive the sunnah. It is also more conducive to attentiveness of the heart, for when a person adheres to one particular practice, it becomes habitual. Thus, if he pronounces the opening takbir while distracted, and it is his habit to begin with “Glory be to You, O Allah, and all praise is Yours,” he may find himself having started it without intending to do so.

Explanation of the opening supplication reported in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah: “O Allah, distance me from my sins …”

It is established in the two Sahih collections from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “When the Prophet ﷺ pronounced the opening takbir for the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while.” Such was Abu Hurayrah’s eagerness for knowledge, as attested by the Prophet ﷺ when he said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, who will be the most blessed of people through your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?” He replied, “I had thought, O Abu Hurayrah, that no one would ask me about this hadith before you, because of the eagerness for hadith that I have seen in you. Then he said: ‘The most blessed of people…’”