Sahih Muslim Book - 5, Hadith - 1354

حَدَّثَنِى زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ عَنْ أَبِى زُرْعَةَ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إِذَا كَبَّرَ فِى الصَّلاَةِ سَكَتَ هُنَيَّةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِى أَنْتَ وَأُمِّى أَرَأَيْتَ سُكُوتَكَ بَيْنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ « أَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِى مِنْ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِى مِنْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said Takbir in the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while before he started to recite. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. I have seen that you are silent between the Takbir and recitation. What do you say?' He said: 'I say: ''Allahumma, ba'id baini wa baina khatayaya kama ba'adta bainal-mashriqi wal-maghrib. Allahumma, naqqini min khatayaya kama yunaqqath-thawbul- abyadu minad-danas. Allahummaghsilni min khatayaya bith-thalji, wal-ma' wal-barid (O Allah, distance me from my sins just as You have distanced the east from the west. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth. O Allah, wash my sins from me with snow, water and hail.)"