Nasai

1265. Commentary: From the context, this appears to be the first tashahhud. For details regarding the manner of pointing and other related matters, see Hadith: 890, 1162.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[مسند الإمام أحمد : 318/4، سنن النسائي : 890، 1269، وسنده صحيح]
↰ This hadith has been declared “Sahih” by Imam Ibn Jarud [208], Imam Ibn Khuzaymah [714], and Imam Ibn Hibban [1860], rahimahumullah.
Allamah Shams al-Haqq Azimabadi rahimahullah writes in the commentary of this hadith:
«وفيه تحريكها ايضا»
“From this hadith, moving the index finger is also established.” [عون المعبود شرح سنن ابي داود : 374/1]

Benefits and Issues
During Tashahhud, one should move the index finger, because this is the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as is found in the hadith of Wa’il bin Hujr radi Allahu anhu:
«ثُمَّ رَفَعَ اُصْبَعَهُ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يُحَرِّكُهَا يَدْعُوْ بِهَا» [نسائي، كتاب الصلاة : باب قبض الثنتين من أصابع اليد اليمني وعقد الوسطي والإبهام منها 1269]
“The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam raised his finger, then kept moving it and supplicating.”
Maulvi Salamullah Hanafi writes in Sharh Muwatta:
«وِفِيْهِ تَحْرِيْكُهَا دَائِمًا اِذَا الدُّعَاءُ بَعْدَ التَّشَهُّدِ»
“In this hadith, it is stated that the finger should be kept moving throughout Tashahhud, because supplication is made after Tashahhud.”
Allamah Nasiruddin al-Albani rahimahullah says:
«فَفِيْهِ دَلِيْلٌ عَلٰي اَنَّ السُّنَّةَ اَنْ يَّسْتَمِرَّ فِي الْاِشَارَةِ وَفِيْ تَحْرِيْكِهَا اِلَي السَّلَامِ لِاَنَّ الدُّعَاءَ قَبْلَهُ» [صفة صلاة النبى ص/158]
“This hadith is evidence that the Sunnah method is that the pointing and movement of the finger should continue until the Salam, because supplication is directly connected to the Salam.”
Apart from this, there is no evidence from authentic ahadith for merely raising the finger once and keeping it raised, or raising it at «اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ»; rather, this action is contrary to the aforementioned hadith.
The narration which states that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not move his finger during Tashahhud is weak, because in it Muhammad bin ‘Ajlan narrates from ‘Amir bin ‘Abdullah bin Zubair, and Muhammad bin ‘Ajlan is a narrator about whom there is criticism. Besides this, four reliable narrators have narrated the same report from ‘Amir bin ‘Abdullah, but in it, the words «لَا يُحَرِّكُهَا» do not appear.
It is clear that these words are anomalous (shadh).
Imam Muslim rahimahullah has also mentioned this narration through the route of Muhammad bin ‘Ajlan, and in it as well, the words «لَا يُحَرِّكُهَا» do not appear. In contrast, the narration of Wa’il bin Hujr radi Allahu anhu has been declared authentic by Ibn Mulqin, Ibn Qayyim, Imam Nawawi, and also Nasiruddin al-Albani rahimahumullah. Only the author of “al-Hidayah fi Takhrij Ahadith al-Bidayah” has declared this hadith to be anomalous, and has said that the words «يُحَرِّكُهَا» are narrated only by Zaidah bin Qudamah from ‘Asim, while other students of ‘Asim mention the words «يُشِيْرُ بِيَدِهِ». But this statement is devoid of research and fairness.
Firstly, all the hadith scholars have accepted the authenticity of this hadith, as has already been made clear. Secondly, the establishment of the hadith about pointing does not negate the movement. For example, there is an authentic hadith of Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was leading the companions radi Allahu anhum in prayer while sitting, and the companions were standing behind him «فَاَشَارَ اِلَيْهِمْ اَنِ اجْلِسُوْا» “He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gestured to them to sit down.” [بخاري، كتاب الأذان : باب إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به 688]
From this hadith, every intelligent person will understand that the gesture of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was not merely raising the hand, as he would do in response to Salam, but rather it was a gesture from which it was understood that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was commanding them to sit. This gesture could not have been without movement. From this example, it becomes clear that it is not correct to consider the ahadith about pointing to be in opposition to the ahadith about movement.
Similarly, there is the narration of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma:
«لَهِيَ اَشَدُّ عَلَي الشَّيْطَانِ مِنَ الْحَدِيْدِ» [صفة صلاة النبى للألباني ص/159]
“This finger is harder upon Shaytan than iron.”
This hadith cannot be used as evidence for not moving the finger, because it does not explicitly mention moving or not moving, whereas movement is established from the hadith of Wa’il bin Hujr radi Allahu anhu. If it is accepted that it explicitly mentions not moving, then at most it can be said that both actions are permissible, as Allamah San‘ani rahimahullah has preferred in “Subul al-Salam.” But the first view is stronger, because Wa’il bin Hujr radi Allahu anhu is describing the prayer of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with special attention, especially the state of Tashahhud, and he has mentioned things in Tashahhud that no one else has mentioned. Therefore, his narration will be given preference.
For further details, one may refer to the book “Tamam al-Minnah” by Allamah Nasiruddin al-Albani rahimahullah.

1269. Commentary: The details regarding moving the finger have already been mentioned previously. Please refer to the benefits and issues of Hadith 890.

Moving the index finger during supplication in Tashahhud
Moving the index finger (continuously moving it) during supplication in Tashahhud is established by authentic hadith. See: [سنن النسائي 1269، و سنده صحيح ابن خزيمه 714 منتقي ابن الجارود 208 اور صحيح ابن حبان الاحسان: 1857]

As for the narration in which it is mentioned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to point with his finger and did not move it, see: [سنن ابي داود: 989 اور السنن الكبريٰ للبيهقي 132/2]

Its chain is weak due to the ‘an‘anah of Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan (a mudallis narrator).

Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has mentioned Ibn ‘Ajlan among the third category of mudallisin. See: [الفتح المبين ص60]

Tahawi has also declared Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan to be a mudallis.

See: [مشكل الآثار طبع قديم ج1 ص100، 101]

It is incorrect to call this weak narration authentic in chain.
Remember that a weak narration is rejected, and reconciliation (tatbiq) is only done where both hadiths are authentic.

... See the original article ...

Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam) vol. 2, p. 77

Commentary:
To present this hadith as evidence for the prohibition of tawarruk is an exaggeration, because according to the Ahl al-Hadith, tawarruk is only in the final tashahhud, not in the first sitting (qa'dah). Even Anwar Sahib himself, in Dastur al-Muttaqi [ص 102], Namaz-e-Rasul Akram [ص 85], and Salat al-Rasul [ص 274], has quoted statements which explicitly clarify this.
The hadith under discussion pertains to the first tashahhud, as is clarified in the detailed narration. Thus, the hadith that Anwar Sahib has quoted is narrated through the route of «عبدالله بن إدريس، حدثنا عاصم بن كليب الجرمي، عن ابيه، عن وائل ابن حجر». Whereas, the hadith which Imam Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah narrated from Imam 'Asim ibn Kulayb, instead of 'Abdullah ibn Idris, is detailed and contains clear clarification in this regard.