Which of the two opening supplications is preferable: “O Allah, distance me from my sins…” or “Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise…”?

The questioner : Regarding the opening supplication… glorifying Allah, “Glory is to You, O Allah,” glorifying Allah is preferable.

The Shaykh : Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), in *Zad al-Ma’ad*, preferred over the saying: on ten points, not on the point you mention that praise is better than supplication. However, we do not prefer anything other than what the Messenger preferred, for his saying: is established in the two Sahihs, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered the question with it. If there had been something else, he would have said, “I sometimes say such and such.” Therefore, some scholars weakened the saying: “Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise,” weakening its being traced to the Prophet. The scholars said that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Hurayrah, “I say such and such,” which is a general ruling, and he did not say, “I sometimes say such and such.” However, it is undoubtedly correct, as it appears to me and Allah knows best, that it is traced to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began with his saying later to combine it with the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, because ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab used to say: This indicates his concern for it (may Allah be pleased with him), just as Ibn ‘Abbas used to recite al-Fatihah aloud in the funeral prayer to let people know that it is a recommended practice. But the best is that we do this and this sometimes and sometimes so that we obtain both.