‘Ali said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for prayer (a version saying, when he began the prayer) he said the takbir, then said, “I have turned my face as a hanif* towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not a polytheist. My prayer and my devotion, my life and my death belong to Allah the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. That is what I have been commanded, and I am a Muslim. O Allah, Thou art the King. There is no Allah but Thee. Thou art my Lord and I am Thy servant. I have wronged myself, but I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me all my sins, Thou who alone canst forgive sins; and guide me to the best qualities, Thou who alone canst guide to the best of them; and turn me from evil ones, Thou who alone canst turn from evil qualities. I come to serve and please Thee. All good is in Thy hands and evil does not pertain to Thee. I seek refuge in Thee and turn to Thee, who art blessed and exalted. I ask Thy forgiveness and turn to Thee in repentance.” When he bowed he said, “O Allah, to Thee I bow, in Thee I trust, and to Thee I submit myself. My hearing, my sight, my brain, my bone and my sinews humble themselves before Thee.” When he raised his head he said, “O Allah, to Thee belongs praise in the whole of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and in whatever Thou createst afterwards.” When he prostrated himself he said, “O Allah, to Thee I prostrate myself, in Thee I trust, and to Thee I submit myself. My face has prostrated itself before Him who created it, fashioned it, and brought forth its hearing and seeing. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators.” Then at the end of what he said between uttering the tahiyat and the taslim was, “O Allah, forgive me my former and latter sins, my open and my secret sins, my sins of negligence, and what Thou knowest better than I. Thou art He who puts forward and puts back. There is no Allah but Thee.” * A believer in one Allah. Cf. Al-Qur’an; 3

95; 22:31; 98:5. Muslim transmitted it. A version by Shafi‘i has, “Evil does not pertain to Thee, and the one who is guided is he whom Thou guidest. I seek refuge in Thee and turn to Thee. There is no shelter from Thee and no place of refuge except by having recourse to Thee who art blessed.”