Hadith on the Opening Supplication in Prayer
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) that he said:
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would remain silent for a short while between the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) and the recitation (of Qur’an). The narrator mentioned that he thought the Prophet (ﷺ) used the word (Iskatah - a brief pause).
I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say during this pause?’
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
‘O Allah! Distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah! Cleanse me from sins as a white garment is cleansed from filth. O Allah! Wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail.’
This Hadith is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (744) and Sahih Muslim (598).
Another narration from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) states:
"When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood for night prayer, he would say Allahu Akbar, then recite:*
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
(O Allah! You are free from all imperfections, and all praise is due to You. Blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty. There is no deity worthy of worship except You.)
Then he would say La ilaha illa Allah (There is no deity except Allah) three times, and Allahu Akbar Kabiran (Allah is the Greatest, Most Great) three times.
After that, he would recite:**
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْتِهِ
(I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed Shaytan, from his whispers, his arrogance, and his influence.)
Then he would begin reciting the Qur’an."
This Hadith is classified as authentic and is recorded in:
- Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal (3/50)
- Abu Dawood (775)
- Tirmidhi (242)
- Nasa'i (2/132)
- Ibn Majah (804)
Key Takeaways:
➊ There is no part of the prayer where supplication (du'a) is not made, except when the follower (Muqtadi) listens silently after Surah Al-Fatihah when praying behind an Imam.
- Supplications are prescribed in Ruku' (bowing) and Sujud (prostration), so they should be recited as well.
➋ From Takbir-e-Tahrima (the first "Allahu Akbar") to the recitation of Qur’an, the worshiper should recite:
- اللهم باعد بيني... (O Allah! Distance me from my sins...) or
- سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ... (O Allah! You are free from imperfections...)
- Additionally, three times La ilaha illa Allah, three times Allahu Akbar Kabiran, followed by A'udhu billahi... (I seek refuge with Allah...) before reciting the Qur’an.
- Praise and glorification of Allah (His oneness and greatness).
- Seeking purification from sins (asking for forgiveness like cleansing a white cloth).
- Seeking Allah’s protection from Shaytan (his whispers, arrogance, and deception).
➍ The Hadith also proves that the Imam and followers should not start reciting Qur’an immediately after Takbir-e-Tahrima.
- There should be a slight pause to allow for the recitation of the opening supplication.
- This pause enables both the Imam and followers to glorify Allah and seek forgiveness before beginning Surah Al-Fatihah.
Source:
This content is taken from Sheikh Taqi al-Din Abu al-Fath’s book "Diya Al-Islam Fi Sharh Al-Imam Bi Ahadith Al-Ahkam," translated by Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Ghaznfar Sahib.
