Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/56

36 ordered, and I am one of the Muslims. O God, Thou art the King. There is no God but Thee. Thou art my Lord, and I am Thy servant. I have offended against mine own soul, and I confess my sins; therefore forgive me all my sins, for none can forgive sins but Thou. Guide Thou me to the best disposition, for none can guide to the best but Thou; and turn Thou away from me its evil, for none can turn away evil from me but Thou. I am ready for Thy service and to assist Thee. And every good is in Thy hands, and no wickedness can be ascribed to Thee. I am (strong) in Thee, and to Thee (I shall return). Thou art blessed and exalted. I ask forgiveness of Thee, and I repent towards Thee." And when the Apostle of God bowed down he said, "O God, to Thee have I bowed down, and in Thee have I placed my trust, and to Thee I resign myself. My ears and my eyes, my brain, my bones and my nerves humble themselves before Thee." And when he raised his head he said, "O God, our Lord, to Thee be praise to the full of the heavens and the earth and what is between them and to the full of whatever Thou mayest desire hereafter." And when he prostrated himself he said, "O God, to Thee have I prostrated myself, and in Thee have I placed my trust, and to Thee am I resigned. My face has prostrated itself to Him who created it and formed it and divided its ears and its eyes. Blessed be God, the best of Creators!" After that he used to say at the end, what he said between the bearing witness and the salutation, "O God, forgive me the sins I have committed before, and those I shall commit hereafter, and those I have concealed, and those I have committed openly, and those I have committed to excess, and those which Thou knowest better than I. Thou art the beginning and Thou art the end. There is no God but Thee."'—Muslim.

It is related from ʿUbádah binuʾṣ-Ṣámit that, 'The Apostle of God said, "There can be no prayer for the one who does not recite the opening chapter of the Book."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.

It is related from Anas that, 'The Prophet and Abú Bakr and ʿOmar used to begin the prayers with the words, "Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds."'—Muslim.