2/130. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 781 — Opening Dua in Salah
Remaining Silent After The Beginning Of The Prayer
Opening Dua in Salah: Asking Allah to Cleanse Sins
Sunan Abi Dawud : 781
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 781
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا كَبَّرَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ سَكَتَ بَيْنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي أَرَأَيْتَ سُكُوتَكَ بَيْنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا تَقُولُ . قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْقِنِي مِنْ خَطَايَاىَ كَالثَّوْبِ الأَبْيَضِ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kept silence between the takbir and the recitation of Qur’an. So I asked him, for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom: What do you say during you period of silence between the takbir and the recitation? He replied (that he said): O Allah, purify me from sins as a white garment is purified from filth. O Allah, wash away my sins with snow, water and hail.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 781In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 391English translation : Book 2, Hadith 780
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 781
This hadith teaches a beautiful opening dua in salah. Abu Hurairah noticed that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stayed silent between the opening takbir and the Qur'an recitation. When he asked what was said in that quiet moment, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught words of humble prayer. The dua asks Allah to place a great distance between the worshipper and sins, just as there is distance between the east and the west. It also asks Allah to purify sins like a white garment is cleaned from dirt, and to wash sins away with snow, water, and hail. The main message is simple: prayer begins with turning to Allah in need, asking for forgiveness, purity, and a clean heart before reciting Qur'an.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prayer begins with humility before Allah.
- A worshipper may ask Allah to remove sins and purify the heart.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught a specific supplication between takbir and recitation.
- Seeking forgiveness is closely tied to standing before Allah in salah.
