When you are in your Salah, you need to know that you have entered the court of Allah (ʿazza wa jall). Just as when meeting someone you love and revere, you greet them, when meeting Allah (ʿazza wa jall), you will greet Him with words of respect and reverence.
Du’a al-Istiftah is the prayer said at the start of the Salah. It is to be recited after the Takbeerat al-Ihram (the start of the prayer where you raise your hands and say Allahu Akbar) and before the recitation.
The Prophet (SAW) said in a Hadith, “No person’s prayer is complete unless he says takbeer, praises Allaah the Mighty and Sublime and extols Him, recites of the Qur’aan what is easy for him….”
Looking at the above Hadith, it’s evident that it is very important to recite the Du’a after the Takbeerat al-Ihram.
Below are various chains of narrations of the Du’a. You can memorize any of your choice among them.
1. Aishah (RA) narrated, when the Prophet opened the Salat, he would say:
“سبحانك الهم و بحمدك و تبارك اسمك و تعالى جدك و لا اله غيرك”
“Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta’ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk”
‘Glorious You are O Allah, and with Your praise, and blessed is Your Name, and exalted is Your majesty, and none has the right to be worshipped but You.’
2.
“بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ نَقِّنِيْ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ”
O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purify me from sins as a white cloth is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, hail, and snow (Bukhārī).
3.
“اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيْرًا طَيِّبًا مُّبَارَكًا فِيْهِ”
All praise is for Allah; an abundant, sincere, and blessed praise (Muslim).
Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrated that a man came panting and joined the row (of congregants in ṣalāh), and then uttered [the above]. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished his ṣalāh, he said, “…I saw twelve angels competing with each other to ascend with it.” (Muslim).
4. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated, “Once we were praying with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when a man said [the above]. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ (after the ṣalāh) asked, “Who uttered those words?” The man replied, “It was me, O Messenger of Allah.” He ﷺ said, “I was amazed by them – the doors of heaven were opened for them.” Ibn ʿUmar (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said, “I have not stopped saying these words since I heard this statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ” (Muslim).
5.
“اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ جَبْرَائِيْلَ وَمِيْكَائِيْلَ وَإِسْرَافِيْلَ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيْمَا كَانُوْا فِيْهِ يَخْتَلِفُوْنَ، اِهْدِنِيْ لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيْهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِيْ مَنْ تَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ”
O Allah, Lord of Jabrā’īl, Mīkā’īl, and Isrāfīl; Creator of the heavens and the earth; Knower of the unseen and seen, You will judge between Your servants in what they used to differ. Guide me in what is contentious to the truth, by Your Will. Certainly, You guide whomsoever You will to the straight path (Muslim).
