Those who used to supplicate with one finger

Sayyiduna Wa'il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): he (peace and blessings be upon him) placed the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh, formed a ring with the thumb and the middle finger, and raised the index finger and supplicated."

Sayyiduna Numayr al-Khuza'i (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sitting in prayer. He (peace and blessings be upon him) had placed his right hand on his right thigh, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) was pointing with his finger."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat to supplicate, he would place his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh. He would point with the index finger, with his thumb placed on the tip of the middle finger, and he would join his left palm to his knee."

Sa'id bin Abd al-Rahman bin Abza said: "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat in prayer, he would place his hand on his thigh, and he would point with his finger in supplication."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) supplicating with his fingers, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Do it with one, do it with one.' (That is, supplicate with one finger.)"

Al-Tamimi said that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "That is sincerity (ikhlas)," meaning supplicating with a finger.

Kathir bin Aflah said: "I prayed, and when I was in the last sitting, I did like this," and Ibn Ulayyah pointed with his two fingers. "Then Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) closed this one," meaning the left finger.

Ata said that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to point with his finger in prayer.

Abu Alqamah said that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Allah is One (witr) and loves what is single; Allah loves that supplication be made like this," and she pointed with one of her fingers.

Ibn Sirin said that Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man supplicating with both his fingers, so he forbade him and said: "Supplicate with a finger of the right hand."

Sulayman bin Abi Yahya said: "The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to take one another to task, meaning over pointing with a finger in supplication."

Abd al-Malik bin Umayr said that Sayyiduna Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed you people supplicate, and the best supplication is like this," and he demonstrated by pointing with his finger.

Ma'bad bin Khalid said that Sayyiduna Qays bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No more than this used to be done," and he pointed with his finger.

Mughirah said that Ibrahim said: "When a man points with his finger in prayer, that is good, and it is Tawhid (affirming the Oneness of Allah); but he should not point with his two fingers, for that is disliked."

Talhah said that Khaythamah used to form the finger-count of fifty-three with his hand and point with one finger.

Uthman bin al-Aswad said that Mujahid said: "Supplication is like this," and he pointed with one finger, "to keep Satan under control."

Ibn Sirin said: "Whenever the Companions saw someone supplicating with two fingers, they would strike one of the fingers and say: 'Indeed, He is One God.'"

A man of the Ansar said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by his grandfather while he was supplicating with his two hands, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Supplicate with one, for He is One."