How, then, can these two be reconciled?

He replied:

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds. It is established in the two Sahīh collections that Abū Hurayrah said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “What do you say during your silence between the opening takbīr and the recitation?” He replied:

“I say: ‘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.’”

This authentic hadith clearly shows that he supplicated specifically for himself while leading the prayer. Likewise, the hadith of ʿAlī concerning the opening supplication, which begins, “I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth,” includes:

“So forgive me, for none forgives sins but You. Guide me to the best character, for none guides to it but You. Turn bad character away from me, for none turns it away from me but You.”

It is also established in the Sahīh collection that, after raising his head from bowing and saying:

“None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold,”

he would say:

“O Allah, purify me of my sins with water, snow, and hail. O Allah, cleanse me of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt.”

All these transmitted reports concerning his supplications after the tashahhud (testimony of faith), whether describing his own practice or conveying his instructions, give only singular wording. For example, he said:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the trial of the False Messiah.”

Likewise, his supplication between