What Ali said with his foot in the stirrup
He worked through four things before he said anything about himself.
سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي
Subḥānaka innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfir lī
“Glory to You. I have wronged myself, so forgive me.”
Where this comes from
ʿAli ibn Rabīʿah watched him do it. Foot in the stirrup, bismillāh. Settled on the back, al-ḥamdu lillāh. Then the verse about the One who made this subservient to us. Then ḥamd three times, takbīr three times, and only then this. Then he laughed, and said he had seen the Prophet do exactly the same and laugh, and when asked why, said: your Lord is pleased with a servant who says forgive me my sins, knowing that no one forgives sins but Him.
The full narration
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: Ali ibn Rabi'ah said: I was present with Ali while a beast was brought to him to ride. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: "In the name of Allah." Then when he sat on its back, he said: "Praise be to Allah." He then said: "Glory be to Him Who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength, and to our Lord do we return." He then said: "Praise be to Allah (thrice); Allah is Most Great (thrice): glory be to Thee, I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for only Thou forgivest sins." He then laughed. He was asked: At what did you laugh? He replied: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do as I have done, and laugh after that. I asked: Messenger of Allah , at what are you laughing? He replied: Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: "Forgive me my sins." He know that no one forgives sins except Him
Source
Sunan Abī Dāwūd · 2602
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih