worldly occupations through prayer, that is not the case.

This is made clear by the fact that Muslims do not dispute that supplication is made during prayer, just as the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to supplicate during it. An authentic hadith establishes that he would say in his opening supplication:

“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 dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.”

He would also say:

“O Allah, You are the King; there is no god but You. You are my Lord, and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and acknowledged my sin, so forgive all my sins, for none forgives sins but You. Guide me to the best character, for none guides to it but You, and turn bad character away from me, for none turns it away from me but You.”

An authentic hadith also establishes that he would supplicate when he raised his head from bowing. His supplications while bowing and prostrating are likewise established, whether in voluntary or obligatory prayer. Mass-transmitted reports establish that he supplicated at the end of the prayer. The two authentic hadith collections relate that Abū Bakr al-Siddīq—may Allah be pleased with him—said:

“O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication to say during my prayer.”

He replied:

“Say: ‘O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and none forgives sins but You. Grant me forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy on me. You are indeed the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’”

Since supplication is prescribed during prayer, especially at its end, how, then, can he say: