✿ Indicating with the Finger and Hand Position During Tashahhud ✿
✒ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
➊ Narrated by Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما):
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat for Tashahhud:
"وضع يده اليسرى على ركبته اليسرى واليمنى على اليمني وعقد ثلاثا و خمسين"
“He would place his left hand on his left knee and his right hand on his right knee and would make the gesture of fifty-three.”
"و أشار بإصبعه السبابة"
“And he would point with his index finger.”
Another narration states:
"وقبض أصابعه كلها وأشار بالتي تلي الإبهام"
“He (ﷺ) would close all his fingers and point with the finger next to the thumb (i.e., the index finger).”
[Ahmad: 2/65; Muslim: 913; Muwatta: 1/88; ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 3046; Al-Nasa’i: 3/36; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/130]
➋ Narrated by Wa’il bin Hujr (رضي الله عنه):
"وقبض ثنتين وحلق حلقة وأشار بالسبابة"
“He (ﷺ) closed two fingers, formed a ring, and pointed with the index finger.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 666; Abu Dawud: 726; ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 3080; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/139]
➌ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would move his index finger during Tashahhud and said:
"لهى أشد على الشيطان من الحديد"
“This finger is harder on Satan than iron.”
[Sifat Salat al-Nabi by Al-Albani: p. 159]
The narration which says:
"ولا يحركها"
“He (ﷺ) would not move it,” is Shaadh (irregular), as declared by:
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله)
[Da‘if Abi Dawud: 208; Tamam al-Minnah: p. 217; Al-Mishkat: 912; Da‘if Al-Nasa’i: 67]
Moreover, even if it were proven authentic, it would not negate the aforementioned practice because:
➤ The affirmative narration (Hadith of Wa’il) takes precedence over a negating one, according to scholarly principles.
[Sifat Salat al-Nabi: p. 139; Tamam al-Minnah: p. 217]
Despite this clarification, the view of Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله) remains that the finger should not be moved during Tashahhud.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/196]
One should keep their gaze fixed on the index finger and its motion during Tashahhud.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/196]
Narrated by Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه):
"لا يجاوز بصره إشارته"
“The Prophet’s (ﷺ) gaze would not go beyond his finger when he pointed.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 874; Abu Dawud: 990]
— Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله):
It is Sunnah that one’s gaze should not go beyond the indication.
[Al-Majmu‘: 3/435]
➊ Narrated by Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد و على آل محمد..."
[Bukhari: 3370]
➋ Narrated by Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد وعلى أزواجه وذريته..."
[Bukhari: 6360; Muslim: 407; Abu Dawud: 979; Al-Nasa’i: 3/49; Muwatta: 1/165; Ahmad: 5/424]
➌ Narrated by Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد عبدك ورسولك..."
[Bukhari: 6358; Ibn Majah: 903; Al-Nasa’i: 1293]
Narrated by Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه):
Bashir ibn Sa‘d (رضي الله عنه) asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ):
"أمرنا الله أن نصلى عليك فكيف نصلي عليك؟"
“Allah has commanded us to send blessings upon you; how should we do so?”
After a brief silence, the Prophet (ﷺ) taught them the wording of Salawat Ibrahimiyya, then said:
“And the Salam is as you have been taught.”
[Muslim: 405; Abu Dawud: 980; Ahmad: 5/273; Al-Tirmidhi: 3220; Al-Nasa’i: 3/45; Muwatta: 1/165; Al-Daraqutni: 1/354; Al-Hakim: 1/268]
Another narration (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah and Musnad Ahmad) adds:
"فكيف نـصـلـي عليك إذا نحن صلينا عليك فى صلاتنا؟"
“How should we send blessings upon you when we do so in our prayer?”
— Imam Al-San‘ani (رحمه الله):
This hadith is evidence of the obligation of reciting Salawat upon the Prophet (ﷺ) during Salah.
[Subul al-Salam: 1/448]
✔ Wajib (Obligatory):
Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله), Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله), Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما), Ibn Mas‘ud (رضي الله عنه), Jabir ibn Zayd (رحمه الله), Imam Ishaq (رحمه الله), and Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabi (رحمه الله)
✘ Not Wajib (Recommended):
Majority (Jumhoor), Imam Malik (رحمه الله), Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله), Imam Thawri (رحمه الله), Imam al-Awza‘i (رحمه الله), Imam al-Tabari (رحمه الله), and Imam al-Tahawi (رحمه الله)
— Shawkani (رحمه الله):
Reciting Salawat in Tashahhud is not obligatory.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrar: 1/22; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/199]
— Siddiq Hasan Khan (رحمه الله):
Majority of scholars consider it recommended, not obligatory.
[Al-Rawdat al-Nadiyyah: 1/251]
The Hadith of Abu Mas‘ud (رضي الله عنه) and the following narration support the view of those who consider Salawat in Salah as obligatory.
Narrated by Fadala ibn ‘Ubayd (رضي الله عنه):
A man made du‘a in his prayer without praising Allah or sending Salawat on the Prophet (ﷺ), so the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“He rushed it.” Then he instructed him:
"إذا صلى أحدكم فليبدأ بتحميد ربه والثناء عليه ثم يصلى على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم يدعو بما شاء"
“When any of you prays, let him begin by praising his Lord and extolling Him, then send Salawat upon the Prophet (ﷺ), and then supplicate as he wishes.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 1314; Abu Dawud: 1481; Al-Tirmidhi: 3477; Al-Nasa’i: 1284; Ibn Khuzaymah: 710; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/147; Ibn Hibban: 1960; Ahmad: 6/18]
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله):
The obligation is established because Allah commanded believers to send Salawat:
"يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا"
The Sahabah understood this command to apply within the prayer, particularly after Tashahhud, and acted upon it consistently, which confirms its obligatory nature.
[Al-Ta‘liqat al-Radiyyah ‘ala al-Rawdat al-Nadiyyah: 1/272; Sifat Salat al-Nabi: pp. 181–182]
Yes, this is supported by authentic Hadith. Narrated by Sa‘d ibn Hisham (رضي الله عنه):
He asked Aisha (رضي الله عنها) about the Witr of the Prophet (ﷺ). She explained that he would pray:
"ثم يصلى تسع ركعات لا يجلس فيهن إلا عند الثامنة فيدعو ربه ويصلى على نبيه ويدعو ثم يسلم تسليما..."
“He would pray nine rak‘ahs, not sitting in any except the eighth, in which he would supplicate to his Lord and send Salawat upon His Prophet, then rise and complete the ninth…”
[Sahih: Sahih Al-Nasa’i: 1623; Al-Nasa’i: 1721; Abu ‘Awanah: 2/324; Ibn Majah: 1191 (without the phrase ‘Salawat upon the Prophet’)]
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله):
This proves that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Salawat in the first Tashahhud just as he did in the final one. The fact that this was during Qiyam al-Layl does not invalidate its applicability to other prayers.
[Tamam al-Minnah: pp. 224–225]
✒ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
❖ Hand Position and Finger Indication in Tashahhud
➊ Narrated by Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما):
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat for Tashahhud:
"وضع يده اليسرى على ركبته اليسرى واليمنى على اليمني وعقد ثلاثا و خمسين"
“He would place his left hand on his left knee and his right hand on his right knee and would make the gesture of fifty-three.”
"و أشار بإصبعه السبابة"
“And he would point with his index finger.”
Another narration states:
"وقبض أصابعه كلها وأشار بالتي تلي الإبهام"
“He (ﷺ) would close all his fingers and point with the finger next to the thumb (i.e., the index finger).”
[Ahmad: 2/65; Muslim: 913; Muwatta: 1/88; ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 3046; Al-Nasa’i: 3/36; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/130]
➋ Narrated by Wa’il bin Hujr (رضي الله عنه):
"وقبض ثنتين وحلق حلقة وأشار بالسبابة"
“He (ﷺ) closed two fingers, formed a ring, and pointed with the index finger.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 666; Abu Dawud: 726; ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 3080; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/139]
➌ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would move his index finger during Tashahhud and said:
"لهى أشد على الشيطان من الحديد"
“This finger is harder on Satan than iron.”
[Sifat Salat al-Nabi by Al-Albani: p. 159]
The narration which says:
"ولا يحركها"
“He (ﷺ) would not move it,” is Shaadh (irregular), as declared by:
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله)
[Da‘if Abi Dawud: 208; Tamam al-Minnah: p. 217; Al-Mishkat: 912; Da‘if Al-Nasa’i: 67]
Moreover, even if it were proven authentic, it would not negate the aforementioned practice because:
➤ The affirmative narration (Hadith of Wa’il) takes precedence over a negating one, according to scholarly principles.
[Sifat Salat al-Nabi: p. 139; Tamam al-Minnah: p. 217]
Despite this clarification, the view of Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله) remains that the finger should not be moved during Tashahhud.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/196]
❖ Where to Direct the Gaze During Tashahhud
One should keep their gaze fixed on the index finger and its motion during Tashahhud.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/196]
Narrated by Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه):
"لا يجاوز بصره إشارته"
“The Prophet’s (ﷺ) gaze would not go beyond his finger when he pointed.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 874; Abu Dawud: 990]
— Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله):
It is Sunnah that one’s gaze should not go beyond the indication.
[Al-Majmu‘: 3/435]
❖ Authentic Forms of Salawat in Tashahhud
➊ Narrated by Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد و على آل محمد..."
[Bukhari: 3370]
➋ Narrated by Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد وعلى أزواجه وذريته..."
[Bukhari: 6360; Muslim: 407; Abu Dawud: 979; Al-Nasa’i: 3/49; Muwatta: 1/165; Ahmad: 5/424]
➌ Narrated by Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه):
"اللهم صل على محمد عبدك ورسولك..."
[Bukhari: 6358; Ibn Majah: 903; Al-Nasa’i: 1293]
❖ Is Sending Salawat After Tashahhud Obligatory?
Narrated by Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه):
Bashir ibn Sa‘d (رضي الله عنه) asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ):
"أمرنا الله أن نصلى عليك فكيف نصلي عليك؟"
“Allah has commanded us to send blessings upon you; how should we do so?”
After a brief silence, the Prophet (ﷺ) taught them the wording of Salawat Ibrahimiyya, then said:
“And the Salam is as you have been taught.”
[Muslim: 405; Abu Dawud: 980; Ahmad: 5/273; Al-Tirmidhi: 3220; Al-Nasa’i: 3/45; Muwatta: 1/165; Al-Daraqutni: 1/354; Al-Hakim: 1/268]
Another narration (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah and Musnad Ahmad) adds:
"فكيف نـصـلـي عليك إذا نحن صلينا عليك فى صلاتنا؟"
“How should we send blessings upon you when we do so in our prayer?”
— Imam Al-San‘ani (رحمه الله):
This hadith is evidence of the obligation of reciting Salawat upon the Prophet (ﷺ) during Salah.
[Subul al-Salam: 1/448]
❖ Scholarly Views on the Ruling of Salawat in Salah
✔ Wajib (Obligatory):
Imam al-Shafi‘i (رحمه الله), Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله), Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما), Ibn Mas‘ud (رضي الله عنه), Jabir ibn Zayd (رحمه الله), Imam Ishaq (رحمه الله), and Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabi (رحمه الله)
✘ Not Wajib (Recommended):
Majority (Jumhoor), Imam Malik (رحمه الله), Imam Abu Hanifah (رحمه الله), Imam Thawri (رحمه الله), Imam al-Awza‘i (رحمه الله), Imam al-Tabari (رحمه الله), and Imam al-Tahawi (رحمه الله)
— Shawkani (رحمه الله):
Reciting Salawat in Tashahhud is not obligatory.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrar: 1/22; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/199]
— Siddiq Hasan Khan (رحمه الله):
Majority of scholars consider it recommended, not obligatory.
[Al-Rawdat al-Nadiyyah: 1/251]
❖ Preferred Opinion
The Hadith of Abu Mas‘ud (رضي الله عنه) and the following narration support the view of those who consider Salawat in Salah as obligatory.
Narrated by Fadala ibn ‘Ubayd (رضي الله عنه):
A man made du‘a in his prayer without praising Allah or sending Salawat on the Prophet (ﷺ), so the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“He rushed it.” Then he instructed him:
"إذا صلى أحدكم فليبدأ بتحميد ربه والثناء عليه ثم يصلى على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم يدعو بما شاء"
“When any of you prays, let him begin by praising his Lord and extolling Him, then send Salawat upon the Prophet (ﷺ), and then supplicate as he wishes.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abi Dawud: 1314; Abu Dawud: 1481; Al-Tirmidhi: 3477; Al-Nasa’i: 1284; Ibn Khuzaymah: 710; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/147; Ibn Hibban: 1960; Ahmad: 6/18]
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله):
The obligation is established because Allah commanded believers to send Salawat:
"يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا"
The Sahabah understood this command to apply within the prayer, particularly after Tashahhud, and acted upon it consistently, which confirms its obligatory nature.
[Al-Ta‘liqat al-Radiyyah ‘ala al-Rawdat al-Nadiyyah: 1/272; Sifat Salat al-Nabi: pp. 181–182]
❖ Is Sending Salawat in the First (Middle) Tashahhud Permissible?
Yes, this is supported by authentic Hadith. Narrated by Sa‘d ibn Hisham (رضي الله عنه):
He asked Aisha (رضي الله عنها) about the Witr of the Prophet (ﷺ). She explained that he would pray:
"ثم يصلى تسع ركعات لا يجلس فيهن إلا عند الثامنة فيدعو ربه ويصلى على نبيه ويدعو ثم يسلم تسليما..."
“He would pray nine rak‘ahs, not sitting in any except the eighth, in which he would supplicate to his Lord and send Salawat upon His Prophet, then rise and complete the ninth…”
[Sahih: Sahih Al-Nasa’i: 1623; Al-Nasa’i: 1721; Abu ‘Awanah: 2/324; Ibn Majah: 1191 (without the phrase ‘Salawat upon the Prophet’)]
— Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله):
This proves that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Salawat in the first Tashahhud just as he did in the final one. The fact that this was during Qiyam al-Layl does not invalidate its applicability to other prayers.
[Tamam al-Minnah: pp. 224–225]
