Positioning of finger during Tashahud

[Servant of Allah]

During the Tashahud position, from which point till which point of the Tashahud should the finger be raised?
Should it only be raised from
أَشْهَدُ أَن َّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
Or should it be raised from the beginning of التَّحِيَاتُ لِلَّهِ?

& Secondly should the fingers stay positioned straight or should 1 move their finger during the Tashahud position?

 

[Danial]

The authentic narrations describe pointing with the finger during the sitting of Tashahhud, but they do not restrict it to only the words
أَشْهَدُ أَن لا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
Rather, the Prophet ﷺ would point throughout the Tashahhud sitting, because the description of his sitting mentions pointing in general.



Hadith of Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr (رضي الله عنهما):

كان رسول الله ﷺ إذا قعد في الصلاة جعل يده اليسرى على ركبته اليسرى، ووضع يده اليمنى على فخذه اليمنى، وأشار بإصبعه

"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat in prayer, he would place his left hand on his left knee, and his right hand on his right thigh, and he would point with his finger."

Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1192

,

Reference: Abu Dawud: 988

The narration says "when he sat"... he would point with his finger.
This indicates that the pointing starts from the beginning of the Tashahhud sitting, not only later in the wording.


Therefore:

The finger is raised from the start of the Tashahhud (at: التحيات لله) and remains raised until the end.​

Read 25 hadiths on this topic here: https://en.tohed.com/threads/25-authentic-ahadith-on-raising-the-index-finger-in-tashahhud.7454/

Should the Finger Be Moved or Kept Still?​

The Sunnah is to move the finger.​

This is supported by a clear narration.

Hadith of Wāil ibn Hujr (رضي الله عنه):​

ثم رفع إصبعه، فرأيته يحركها يدعو بها

"Then he raised his finger, and I saw him moving it, supplicating with it."

Reference: an-Nasa'i: 1269

This wording is explicit and unambiguous.

Therefore:​

​

The movement is described by scholars as:

• moderate, not excessive
• up and down, or a controlled motion consistent with du‘a
• continuous while supplicating