Prayer # 7: Iftitah

Prayers of iftitah that were read by the Prophet, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, are manifold.

1. Narrated Abu Huraira, Radhiyallahu Anhu: Allah’s Messenger, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, observed silence between his reciting of takbir and reciting of the Qur’an. I said to Allah’s Messenger, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, “May my mother and father be taken as ransom for you (kindly tell me) what do you say (when you are silent between takbir and recitation of the Qur’an). He said, I say: 

اللَّهُمَّ باعِد بَيْني وبَيْنَ خَطايايَ كما بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ،

اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ الخَطايا كما يُنَقّى الثَّوْبُ الأبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ،

اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطايايَ بالمَاءِ والثَّلْجِ وَالبَرَدِ‏.‏

Allahumma baa’id bainii wabaina khothooyaya kamaa baa’adta bainal masyriqi wal maghrib

Allahumma naqqinii minal khothooyaa kamaa yunaqqots-tsaubul abyadlu minad-danas

Allahummaghsil khothooyaaya bilmaa-i wats-tsalji walbarodi

O Allah, set me apart from my sins as the East and the West are set apart from each other. O Allah, clean me from sins as the white garment is cleaned of dirt. O Allah, wash off my sins with water, snow, and hail. (Bukhari, 744, Muslim: 598)

2. Abdullah bin Umar, Radhiyallahu Anhu, reported that a man said in his prayer:

أللَّ‍هُ أَكْبَرْ كَبِيْرًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيْرًا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيْلاً

Allahu akbar kabiirow wal hamdu lillaahi katsiirow wasub haanallohi bukro-taw wa ‘ashiila

Allah is the Greatest in fact; and praise is due to Allah in abundance; and Glory be to Allah in the morning and in the evening.

Allah’s Messenger, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, said, the gates of the heavens are opened for it. Ibn Umar, Radhiyallahu Anhu, said; I never left this invocation in my prayer since I heard this from Allah’s Messenger, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, (Muslim, 601).

3. Aisha, Radhiyallahu Anha, reported that when Allah’s Messenger, Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, commenced the prayer, he used to recite:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika wa tabaarokasmuka wa ta’aalaa jadduka wa laa ilaaha ghoyruka

O Allah! Our Lord! Glory be to You and Your is the praise and blessed is Your name and Exalted is Your Majesty, and there is no god but You (Tirmidhi, 243 and Abu Dawud, 775).

4. Ali, Radhiyallahu Anhu, reported that as Allah’s Messenger, Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, commenced the prayer, he recited takbir, and then said: 

Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladzii fathoros samaawati wal ardlo, haniifam muslimaw wamaa ana minal musyrikiin. Inna sholaatii wa nusukii wamahyaaya wa mamaatii lillaahi robbil ‘aaalamiin. Laa syariikalahu wa bidzaa lika umirtu wa anaa awwalul muslimiin. Allahumma antal maliku laa ilaaha illaa anta, anta robbii wa anaa ‘abduka dzolamtu nafsii wa’taroftu bidzanmbii faaghfirlii dzunuubii jamii’al laa yaghfirudz dzunuuba illaa anta wahdinii li akhsanil akhlaaqi laa yahdii li akhsanih aa illaa anta wasrif ‘annii sayyiahaa laa yasrifu ‘annii sayyiahaa illaa anta labbaika wa sa’daika walkhoyru kulluhuu fii yadaika wasysyarru laisa ilaika wa anaa bika wa ilaika tabaarokta wa ta’aalaita astaghfiruka wa atuubu ilaika

I turn my face with single minded devotion to Him Who created the Heavens and the Earth and I am not of the polytheists. Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lords of the worlds. There is no partner with Him and this is what I have been commanded with, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the King. There is no god but You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I did injustice to myself and I admit my sins, forgive all my sins. Verily, there is none to forgive the sins but You only; guide me to the good morals for there is none to guide me to the good conduct but You; remove from me (the burden) of the sins for there is none to remove the burden of the sins from me but You only. I am at Your service and grace is to You, the whole good is in Your hands and one cannot get nearness to You through evil. I seek refugee in You and turn to You, You are blessed and Exalted. I seek forgiveness from You and turn to You in repentance. (Muslim: 771)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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