حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا كَبَّرَ فِي الصَّلاةِ سَكَتَ هُنَيْهَةً ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي مَا تَقُولُ فِي صَلاتِكَ بَيْنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ ؟ قَالَ : " أَقُولُ : اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ " .
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would say the takbir at the beginning of the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while. I asked: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you, what do you recite between saying the takbir and reciting (Qur'an)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I recite this: O Allah! Create distance between me and my sins as You have created distance between the East and 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."