Written by: Abu Abdullah Sarim (May Allah preserve him)
After completing two units (rak'ahs) of prayer, sitting down is called "Qa'dah." In a four-unit prayer, there are two sittings: the first after two rak'ahs and the second after completing four rak'ahs. In both the first and second sittings, Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyat... which includes the testimony of Allah's oneness and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)) is recited. Is it permissible to recite more than Tashahhud, such as sending blessings on the Prophet (Durud) and making supplications, in the first sitting, or is this specific only to the second Tashahhud? This article addresses this question for the readers.
Based on our research, both restricting to Tashahhud in the first sitting and reciting more than Tashahhud are permissible. Those who say that if Durud is recited in the first Tashahhud, it necessitates the prostration of forgetfulness (Sajdah Sahw) are without evidence, because both methods are proven from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as shown below:
Restricting to Tashahhud:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) taught his students the Tashahhud of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). One of his students, Aswad bin Yazid, narrates:"If he was in the middle Tashahhud of the prayer, he would stand up as soon as he finished the Tashahhud (for the next rak'ah), and if it was the last Tashahhud, he would make whatever supplications were decreed after it, then conclude with Salam."
[Musnad Ahmad: 459/1, with a sound chain]
↰ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) declared this Hadith "authentic." He titled the chapter:"Chapter: Restricting to Tashahhud in the First Sitting and Not Making Supplication after the First Tashahhud."
[Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 708]
◈ Ummul Mu'mineen, Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates:"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would not recite more than Tashahhud after the two rak'ahs."
[Musnad Abu Ya'la Al-Mawsili: 4373, with a sound chain]
Clarifications:
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:"The most correct view is that Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father."
[Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb: 8231]
◈ He also states:"Most scholars agree that he did not hear from his father."
[Muwaffaqah al-Khabar al-Khabar: 364/1]
Therefore, Imam Hakim's (may Allah have mercy on him) [1/296] declaration of this narration as "authentic on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim" is not correct.
◈ Regarding this narration, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states:"It is disconnected because Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father."
[Talkhees al-Habeer: 263/1, Hadith: 406]
↰ Secondly, this does not negate reciting Durud in the first Tashahhud but shows that the first Tashahhud was shorter than the second. The first Tashahhud, even with Durud, can be shorter than the second.
◈ Allama Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) (1173-1250 AH) writes:"This Hadith only legislates reducing the length of the first Tashahhud, and this is achieved by making it shorter than the second Tashahhud."
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/333]
Additional Recitations in the First Qa'dah:
Additional recitations, such as Durud and supplications in the first Qa'dah, are recommended, as shown below:
[Musnad Ahmad: 437/1, Musnad al-Tayalisi: 304, Sunan al-Nasa'i: 1164, Al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani: 47/10, Hadith: 9912, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar by Al-Tahawi: 237/1, with a sound chain]
↰ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah [720] and Imam Ibn Hibban [1951] (may Allah have mercy on them) graded this Hadith as "authentic."
[Al-Umm: 1/117]
Hanafi Fiqh and the First Tashahhud:
According to Hanafi jurisprudence, reciting Durud after the first Tashahhud necessitates the prostration of forgetfulness.
[Kabiri: 460]
This view is contrary to authentic Hadiths and the practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and thus not worthy of consideration.
Conclusion:
In the first sitting (Qa'dah), one may suffice with Tashahhud alone, or recite additional supplications such as Durud and other prayers.
After completing two units (rak'ahs) of prayer, sitting down is called "Qa'dah." In a four-unit prayer, there are two sittings: the first after two rak'ahs and the second after completing four rak'ahs. In both the first and second sittings, Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyat... which includes the testimony of Allah's oneness and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)) is recited. Is it permissible to recite more than Tashahhud, such as sending blessings on the Prophet (Durud) and making supplications, in the first sitting, or is this specific only to the second Tashahhud? This article addresses this question for the readers.
Based on our research, both restricting to Tashahhud in the first sitting and reciting more than Tashahhud are permissible. Those who say that if Durud is recited in the first Tashahhud, it necessitates the prostration of forgetfulness (Sajdah Sahw) are without evidence, because both methods are proven from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as shown below:
Restricting to Tashahhud:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) taught his students the Tashahhud of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). One of his students, Aswad bin Yazid, narrates:"If he was in the middle Tashahhud of the prayer, he would stand up as soon as he finished the Tashahhud (for the next rak'ah), and if it was the last Tashahhud, he would make whatever supplications were decreed after it, then conclude with Salam."
[Musnad Ahmad: 459/1, with a sound chain]
↰ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) declared this Hadith "authentic." He titled the chapter:"Chapter: Restricting to Tashahhud in the First Sitting and Not Making Supplication after the First Tashahhud."
[Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 708]
◈ Ummul Mu'mineen, Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates:"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would not recite more than Tashahhud after the two rak'ahs."
[Musnad Abu Ya'la Al-Mawsili: 4373, with a sound chain]
Clarifications:
- Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when sitting after two rak'ahs, appeared as though he was sitting on hot stones (due to quickly standing up)."
[Musnad Ahmad: 386/1, Sunan Abu Dawood: 995, Sunan Tirmidhi: 366]
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:"The most correct view is that Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father."
[Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb: 8231]
◈ He also states:"Most scholars agree that he did not hear from his father."
[Muwaffaqah al-Khabar al-Khabar: 364/1]
Therefore, Imam Hakim's (may Allah have mercy on him) [1/296] declaration of this narration as "authentic on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim" is not correct.
◈ Regarding this narration, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states:"It is disconnected because Abu Ubaydah did not hear from his father."
[Talkhees al-Habeer: 263/1, Hadith: 406]
↰ Secondly, this does not negate reciting Durud in the first Tashahhud but shows that the first Tashahhud was shorter than the second. The first Tashahhud, even with Durud, can be shorter than the second.
◈ Allama Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) (1173-1250 AH) writes:"This Hadith only legislates reducing the length of the first Tashahhud, and this is achieved by making it shorter than the second Tashahhud."
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/333]
- Tabi'i Tamim bin Salama (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:"When Amirul Mu'mineen, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would sit after two rak'ahs, he would be like one sitting on hot stones until he stood up."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 295/1]
- It is attributed to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that:"The only reason for sitting after two rak'ahs is to recite the Tashahhud."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 295/1]
- It is attributed to Imam Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) that he used to say:"A person should not recite more than the Tashahhud after two rak'ahs."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 296/1]
- Imam Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:"Whoever recites more than the Tashahhud after two rak'ahs must perform two prostrations of forgetfulness."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 296/1, and its chain is sound]
Additional Recitations in the First Qa'dah:
Additional recitations, such as Durud and supplications in the first Qa'dah, are recommended, as shown below:
- Ummul Mu'mineen, Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates:"The Prophet (peace be upon him) would offer nine rak'ahs (Witr), sitting only after the eighth rak'ah. Then he would remember Allah, praise Him, and make supplications. Then he would stand up without saying Salam, offer the ninth rak'ah, sit again, remember Allah, praise Him, and make supplications. Then he would say Salam aloud enough for us to hear."
[Sahih Muslim: 139/746]
[Musnad Ahmad: 437/1, Musnad al-Tayalisi: 304, Sunan al-Nasa'i: 1164, Al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani: 47/10, Hadith: 9912, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar by Al-Tahawi: 237/1, with a sound chain]
↰ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah [720] and Imam Ibn Hibban [1951] (may Allah have mercy on them) graded this Hadith as "authentic."
- Tabi'i Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:"Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) would recite the Tashahhud as follows: Bismillah, At-Tahiyyatu lillah, As-Salawatu lillah, Az-Zakiyatu lillah, As-Salamu 'ala An-Nabiyyi wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu, As-Salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-Saliheen, Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah. He would say this in the first two rak'ahs, and after finishing the Tashahhud, he would make whatever supplication came to mind."
[Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik: 191/1, with a sound chain]
[Al-Umm: 1/117]
Hanafi Fiqh and the First Tashahhud:
According to Hanafi jurisprudence, reciting Durud after the first Tashahhud necessitates the prostration of forgetfulness.
[Kabiri: 460]
This view is contrary to authentic Hadiths and the practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and thus not worthy of consideration.
Conclusion:
In the first sitting (Qa'dah), one may suffice with Tashahhud alone, or recite additional supplications such as Durud and other prayers.