Muwatta Imam Malik (Riwayat Yahya)

Abdur Rahman bin Abd al-Qari heard from Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, and he was on the pulpit, teaching the people the Tashahhud. He said: Say: «التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ الزَّاكِيَاتُ لِلّٰهِ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ لِلّٰهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ».

It is narrated from Nafi‘ that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to recite the tashahhud in this way: «بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ الصَّلَوَاتُ لِلّٰهِ الزَّاكِيَاتُ لِلّٰهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ شَهِدْتُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ شَهِدْتُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ» He used to say this after the first two rak‘ahs, and after the tashahhud he would supplicate for whatever he wished. Then, when he sat for the final sitting, he would recite in the same way, but first he would recite the tashahhud, then supplicate for whatever he wished, and after the tashahhud, when he was about to say the salam, he would say: «السَّلاَمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ» He would say this to the right side, then respond to the imam’s salam. Then, if someone on the left side greeted him, he would also respond to him.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her), she said, in Tashahhud these words: «التَّحِيَّاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ الزَّاكِيَاتُ لِلّٰهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ».

It is narrated from Qasim bin Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him) that Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), when she recited the Tashahhud, she would say: «التَّحِيَّاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ الزَّاكِيَاتُ لِلهِ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِينَ » (then at the end she would say:) «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ ».

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, asked Ibn Shihab Zuhri and Nafi', the freed slave of Ibn Umar, about a person who joins the Imam after one rak'ah has already been completed. Should he recite the tashahhud with the Imam in both the first sitting (qa'dah ula) and the last sitting (qa'dah akhir), or not? Because for him, it is only one rak'ah in the first sitting and three rak'ahs in the last sitting. Both of them replied that yes, he should recite the tashahhud with the Imam.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is the ruling according to us.