Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would begin the prayer, he would say: «الله اكبر» Then he would recite this supplication: «وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ المُسْلِمِينَ، اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا لَّا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ» I have turned my face with single-minded devotion towards the One who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not among the polytheists. My prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. He has no partner, and I have been commanded this, and I am the first to submit. O Allah! You are the King, there is no true 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 the best of character, for none guides to the best of character except You. Remove bad character from me, for none can remove bad character from me except You. I am present, I am present, all goodness is in Your hands, evil is not attributed to You, I am with You and towards You, You are blessed and exalted, I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance. When he would go into bowing (ruku‘), he would recite this supplication: «اللهم لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَمُخِي وَعِظَامِي وَعَصَبِي» O Allah! I have bowed for You alone, I have believed in You alone, I have submitted to You alone, my ears, my eyes, my brain, my bones, and my tendons are humbled before You alone. When he would raise his head from bowing, he would recite this supplication: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ» Allah has heard the one who praises Him. O our Lord! For You is such praise that fills the heavens and the earth and whatever else You will after them. When he would prostrate, he would recite this supplication: «اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلْقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ فَتَبَارَكَ اللهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ» O Allah! I have prostrated for You alone, I have believed in You alone, I have submitted to You alone, my face has prostrated to the One who created it, shaped it beautifully, and made its hearing and sight. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators. When he would finish the prayer and say salam, he would recite this supplication: «اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَالْمُوَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ» O Allah! Forgive what I have done before and what I will do later, what I have done secretly and what I have done openly, what I have transgressed, and what You know better than I do. You are the First and the Last, there is no deity worthy of worship except You. Abu Salih narrated at all places as follows: «لَّا إِلهَ لِي إِلَّا أَنْتَ» There is no deity for me except You.