Prayer › Supplication at the start of the prayer (after takbeer)
Dua at the start of prayer — turning my face to the Creator
وَجَّهْـتُ وَجْهِـيَ لِـلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيْفــاً وَمَـا أَنَــا مِــنَ الْـمُشْـرِكِيْنَ ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِـي ، وَنُسُكِي ، وَمَحْـيَـــايَ ، وَمَمَــاتِـي لِلَّــهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، لَا شَرِيْـكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَـا مِـنَ الْمُسْــلِمِيْنَ. اللَّهُـمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ. أَنْتَ رَبِّـي وَأَنَـا عَبْـدُكَ ، ظَلَمْـتُ نَفْسِـي وَاعْـتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِـي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعاً إِنَّـهُ لَا يَغْـفِرُ الذُّنُـوْبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ. وَاهْدِنِـي لأَحْسَـنِ الأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْـدِي لأَحْسَـنِهَا إِلاَّ أَنْـتَ ، وَاصْـرِفْ عَـنِّي سَـيِّـئَـهَـا ، لَا يَصْرِفُ عَـنِّي سَـيِّـئَـهَـا إِلاَّ أَنْـتَ ، لَبَّـيْكَ وَسَعْـدَيْكَ ، وَالْخَـيْرُ كُلُّـهُ بِيَـدِيْـكَ ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْـسَ إِلَـيْكَ ، أَنَـا بِـكَ وَإِلَيْـكَ تَبَـارَكْتَ وَتَعَـالَيْتَ أَسْتَغْـفِرُكَ وَأَتوبُ إِلَـيْكَ
Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fatara as-samawati wal-arda hanifan wa ma ana min al-mushrikin, inna salati, wa nusuki, wa mahyaya, wa mamati lillahi rabbi al-'alamin, la sharika lahu wa bidhalika umirtu wa ana min al-muslimin. Allahumma anta al-maliku la ilaha illa anta. Anta rabbi wa ana 'abduka, zalamtu nafsi wa i'taraftu bi-dhanbi faghfir li dhunubi jami'an innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunuba illa anta. Wahdini li-ahsani al-akhlaqi la yahdi li-ahsaniha illa anta, wasrif 'anni sayyi'aha, la yasrifu 'anni sayyi'aha illa anta, labbayka wa sa'dayka, wal-khayru kulluhu bi-yadayka, wash-shharru laysa ilayka, ana bika wa ilayka tabarakta wa ta'alayta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.
Translation
I have turned my face sincerely towards He who has brought forth the Heavens and the Earth, and I am not of those who associate (others with Allah). Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds; no partner has He, with this, I am commanded, and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the Sovereign; none has the right to be worshipped except You. You are my Lord, and I am Your servant. I have wronged my own soul and have acknowledged my sin, so forgive me all my sins, for no one forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of characters, for none can guide me to it other than You, and deliver me from the worst of characters, for none can deliver me from it other than You. Here I am, in answer to your call, happy to serve you. All good is within Your hands, and evil does not stem from You*. I exist by your will and will return to you. Blessed and High are You; I seek Your forgiveness and repent unto You.
When to recite
At the start of prayer, after the opening takbir.
Footnote
*Allah does not create pure evil which does not have any good or contain any benefit, wisdom or mercy at all, nor does He punish anyone without having commited a sin. Something can be good in terms of its creation when viewed in a particular perspective and at the same time be evil when viewed in another way. Allah created the devil and by him, He tests His servants, so there are those who hate the devil, fight him and his way and they stand at enmity towards him and his followers and there are others who are at allegiance with the devil and follow his steps. So evil exists in His creatures by His will and wisdom, not in His actions or act of creating.
Source / Reference
Hisnul Muslim 29