How is it to move the index finger of testimony continuously from beginning to end during Tashahhud?
Question:
How is the practice of continuously moving the index finger of testimony throughout the entire Tashahhud, from start to finish? Is it permitted in Shariah?
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Continuously moving the index finger of testimony throughout the entire Tashahhud is not correct according to Shariah. The correct method is to move the index finger during the supplication, not throughout the entire Tashahhud. Clear guidance on this is found in the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
«يُحَرِّکُّهَا يَدْعُوبِهَا»
“He (peace be upon him) would move it and supplicate with it.”
Evidence:
This is done because when a person prays, he prays to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and Allah’s essence is exalted, as stated in the Holy Quran:
﴿ءَأَمِنتُم مَن فِى السَّماءِ أَن يَخسِفَ بِكُمُ الأَرضَ فَإِذا هِىَ تَمورُ ﴿١٦﴾ أَم أَمِنتُم مَن فِى السَّماءِ أَن يُرسِلَ عَلَيكُم حاصِبًا فَسَتَعلَمونَ كَيفَ نَذيرِ ﴿١٧﴾
“Are you secure that He who is in the heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up suddenly, and it will shake? Are you secure that He who is in the heaven will not send against you a storm of stones? Then you will surely know how My warning was.”
Similarly, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
«ألاَ تَأْمَنُوْنِی وَاَنَا اَمِيْنُ مَنْ فِی السَّمَاءِ»
“Do you not consider me trustworthy, while I am the trustworthy one of Him who is in the heaven?”
Conclusion:
All these evidences prove that Allah Almighty is in the heavens and is above everything, therefore when a person prays to Allah Almighty, pointing upwards is a natural act. For this reason, when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ delivered the sermon during Hajj al-Widaa, he said:
«اَلاَ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ؟»
“Have I conveyed (the message of Prophethood)?”
The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, replied: “Yes!” Then the Prophet ﷺ raised his finger towards the sky, and then pointing towards the people, said:
«اَللّٰهُمَّ اشْهَدْ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اشْهَدْ، ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ»
“O Allah! Bear witness, O Allah! Bear witness.” (These words were repeated three times.)
Places of Supplication in Tashahhud:
Now it is necessary to see at which places in Tashahhud the index finger is moved during supplication. The following eight places are where supplications are made:
◈ اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْکَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِیُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَکَاتُهُ
◈ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَی عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ
◈ اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
◈ اللّٰهُمَّ بَارِکْ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
◈ أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ
◈ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ
◈ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَفِتْنَةِ الْمَمَاتِ
◈ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
These are the eight places where a person prays, so at these places, the index finger should be moved pointing towards the sky. If a person makes supplication during Tashahhud besides these, the finger should still be moved because the general rule is that the finger is moved during every supplication.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
