It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): That when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would say the takbeer, he would begin (the prayer), then he would say (and in one narration: when he would begin the prayer, he would say the takbeer, then he would say):“I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, being ever-inclined (to Him), a Muslim, and I am not of the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner, and with this I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims.”Abu Nadr says:“And I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, there is no deity except You.”And in one narration:“O Allah, You are the King, there is no deity except You, You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me all my sins, for none forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of character, for none guides to its best except You, and turn away from me its evil, for none turns away its evil from me except You. Blessed are You.”And in one narration:“Here I am at Your service and all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You. I am by You and to You. Blessed and Exalted are You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You.”

The translation of this supplication: I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, being ever-inclined (to Him), a Muslim, and I am not of the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner, and with this I have been commanded, and I am of the Muslims. The words of Abu Nadr are:“And I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, there is no deity except You.”The words of one narration are:“O Allah, You are the King, there is no deity except You, You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me all my sins, for none forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of character, for none guides to its best except You, and turn away from me its evil, for none turns away its evil from me except You. Blessed are You.”And the words of one narration are:“Here I am at Your service and at Your pleasure, all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You. I am by You and to You (meaning, You are the One who grants me success and my refuge is to You). Blessed and Exalted are You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You.”

And when he would bow (in ruku‘), he would say:“O Allah, for You I have bowed, in You I have believed, and to You I have submitted. My hearing, my sight, my mind, my bones, and my nerves have humbled themselves to You.”O Allah! I have bowed for You alone, I have believed in You, I have submitted to You, my ear, my sight, my mind, my bones, and my sinews are humbling themselves to You.

And when he would raise his head from ruku‘, he would say:“Allah has heard the one who praises Him. Our Lord, to You is all praise, filling the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and filling whatever else You will after that.”Allah has heard the one who praises Him. O our Lord! To You alone is all praise, as much as fills the heavens and the earth and the space between them, and as much as fills whatever else You will after that.

And when he would prostrate (in sujood), he would say:“O Allah, for You I have prostrated, in You I have believed, and to You I have submitted. My face has prostrated to the One who created it, shaped it, and perfected its form, and opened its hearing and sight. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.”O Allah! I have prostrated for You alone, I have believed in You, I have submitted to You, my face has prostrated to the One who created it, shaped it, perfected its form, and opened its hearing and sight. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators.

Then when he would finish the prayer with salam, he would say:“O Allah, forgive me for what I have sent forth and what I have delayed, what I have done secretly and what I have done openly, and what I have exceeded in, and what You know better than me. You are the One who brings forward and the One who delays. There is no deity except You.”O Allah! Forgive for me my earlier and later (sins), my hidden and open (sins), and what I have exceeded in, and what You know better than me (forgive that too). You are the One who brings forward and the One who delays. There is no true deity except You.