A unique Prophet ﷺ dua to avoid making sins

Making mistakes and committing sins is not unusual for humans but it is possible to stay protected from temptations and keep away from sins if we follow what Allah and His Messenger SAW instruct. 

Prophet Mohammad ﷺ used to recite a very powerful and unique dua in His prayers, asking Allah to keep Him away from sins. 

It was narrated that Companion Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with Him) said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said the Takbir (Allah Akbar in His salah), he would remain silent between the Takbir and the recitation. I said: My my father and mother be ransomed for you ! I noticed that you are silent between the Takbir and the recitation, please tell me what you say then.' He said, I say:  

Prophet Mohammad SAW would recite in his prayer this comprehensive supplication for distancing Himself from sins - reference: Sunan Ibn Majah 

Transliteration:

Allahumma baa'id bayenee wa bayenaa khatayaaya kamaa baa'adta bayenal mashriqi wal maghrib, Allahumma naqq'qinee min khatayaaya kamaa yunaqqath-thawbul-'abyadhu minad-danasi, Allahum-maghsilnee min khatayaaya bith-thalji wal maa'i wal barad

English:

"O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West; O Allah purify me of my sins as w white garment is purified of dirt; O Allah, cleanse me of my sins with water and snow and hail."

How to recite and practice 

You can learn to pronounce the supplication in Arabic using the transliteration. When you start your salah, silently recite the dua and then continue your regular recitation that you usually do in every salah.  

Moreover, you can say the supplication as part of your daily adhkarr (azkaar) or any suitable time you find during your day (preferably after fajr or Asr salah). 

In addition to this powerful supplication, there are other helpful steps you can take to strengthen yourself so avoiding sins becomes easy. 

Check out ➞ 5 simple steps to repent for any sin