Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would begin the prayer, he would say the takbir and then recite this supplication: «إنِّيْ وَجَّهْتُ ...... وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ» That is,“I have turned my face with single-minded devotion towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not among the polytheists. My prayer and worship, my living and my dying are only for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, who has no partner. And I have been commanded this, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, You alone are the deity; there is no deity except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and I confess my sins, so forgive all my sins, for none forgives sins except You. Guide me to good morals and habits, for You alone guide to good deeds, and remove bad habits from me, for none can remove bad habits except You. I am present in Your service, obedient to You. All goodness is in Your hands, and evil cannot be attributed to You. I am from You (i.e., Your creation) and to You is my return (or my plea is to You). You are Most Blessed and Most Exalted. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.”