The Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) would also recite many different kinds of supplications before beginning the recitation of the Qur’an. In those supplications, he praised Allah the Exalted, mentioned His greatness, and glorified Him.
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلَاةَ قَالَ:
«سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ».
Translation:
Ahmad ibn Sulayman reported, Zayd ibn al-Hubab narrated to us, Ja‘far ibn Sulayman narrated to me, from ‘Ali ibn ‘Ali, from Abu al-Mutawakkil, from Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began the prayer, he would say:
“Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise; blessed is Your Name, exalted is Your Majesty, and there is no deity besides You.”
(Sunan al-Nasa’i, Hadith 900)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا كَبَّرَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ سَكَتَ هُنَيْهَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي، أَرَأَيْتَ سُكُوتَكَ بَيْنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ مَا تَقُولُ؟ قَالَ ﷺ:
«أَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ»
.
Translation:
From Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said the Takbir in prayer, he would pause briefly before reciting. I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you! What do you say during your pause between the Takbir and the recitation?” He ﷺ replied:
“I say: O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, wash me of my sins with snow, water, and hail.”
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, Chapter: What is said between the opening Takbir and the recitation, Hadith 598)