Comparing the Types of Opening Supplications

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. You mentioned (may Allah preserve you) in the hadith of 'Aishah and 'Umar what was transmitted regarding the opening supplication, "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika" (Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise), and that it is the best of the types of opening supplications. And in the Sahih, supplications are mentioned, such as the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, "O Allah, distance me from my sins." As for the first hadith, it was not transmitted in the Sahih, so how can it be said that it is better than the others?

Answer:
It is not necessary for a hadith to be in the Sahih. A hadith may have factors that make it preferred, or it is not necessary for it to be in the Sahih. And not every hadith being in the Sahih means that it is neglected and not acted upon. As you know, the Companions—the great Companions, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman—chose "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika" over other types of opening supplications. This is a preference. The action of the Companions is a preference for this type.