Riyad as-Salihin — Hadith #46158

On the authority of Ali bin Rabi’ah, he said: I witnessed Ali bin Abi Talib, may God be pleased with him, when an animal was brought to him to ride, and when he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: In the name of God, and when he was leveled on its back, he said: Praise be to God who has subjected this to us, and we were not bound to Him, and indeed to our Lord we will turn. Then he said: Praise be to God, three times, then he said: God is Great, three times, then he said: Glory be to You, I have wronged myself, so forgive me. No one forgives sins except you, then He laughed, and it was said: O Commander of the Faithful, at what did you laugh? He said: I saw the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, do as I did, then he laughed, so I said: O Messenger of God, at what did you laugh? He said: “Your Lord, Glory be to Him, admires His servant when he says: Forgive me my sins, knowing that no one forgives sins except Him” ((Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi, and he said: Hadith Hassan) And in some versions: an authentic hadith. This is the wording of Abu Dawud