Zinaid Abu Naser

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Alhamdulillah,

One question most often asked is; “Why do you move your finger at tashahood?”.

The list of hadith below are proof for anyone that doubts that RasulAllah (saws) moved his index finger pointing it towards the qiblah while it was resting on his knee, seated.

Regarding the placement of the finger in tashahood:

1. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that:

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat during the prayer, he put his hands on his knees and raised the finger that is next to the thumb, and supplicates with it, and his left hand was on his knee laid on it.

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَرَفَعَ أُصْبُعَهُ الَّتِي تَلِي الإِبْهَامَ فَدَعَا بِهَا وَيَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ بَاسِطُهَا عَلَيْهَا ‏.‏

Grade	: Sahih (Darussalam)
Reference	: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1269
In-book reference	: Book 13, Hadith 91
English translation	: Vol. 2, Book 13, Hadith 1270

2) It was narrated that Wa’il bin Hujr said:

“I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) making a circle with his thumb and middle finger, and raising the one next to it (the index finger), supplicating with it during the Tashah-hud.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَدْ حَلَّقَ الإِبْهَامَ وَالْوُسْطَى وَرَفَعَ الَّتِي تَلِيهِمَا يَدْعُو بِهَا فِي التَّشَهُّدِ ‏.‏

Grade	: Sahih (Darussalam)
English reference	: Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 912
Arabic reference	: Book 5, Hadith 965

3) Abbas b. Sahl. Said:

Abu Humaid, Abu Usaid, Sahl. B Sa’d and Muhammad b. Maslamah (once) got together and discussed how the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) used to offer his prayer. Abu Humaid said: I am more informed than any of you regarding the prayer offered by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Then he mentioned a part of it, and said: He then bowed and placed his hands upon his knees as if he caught hold of them; and bent them, keeping (his arms) away from his sides. He them prostrated himself and placed his nose and forehead (on the ground); and kept his arms away from his side, and placed his palms (on the ground opposite his shoulders; he then raised his head that every bone returned to its proper place; (he then prostrated twice) until he finished this prostrations). Then he sat down and spread out his left foot, putting forward the front of his right foot towards the qiblah placing the palm of his right hand on his right knee, and the palm of his left hand on his left knee, and he pointed with his finger.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Ibn al-Mubarak from Fulaih who heard ‘Abbas . Sahl narrating it; but I do not remember it. I think he made the mention of ‘Isa b. ‘Abd Allah who heard ‘Abbas b. Sahl saying: I accompanied Abu Humaid al-Sa’idi.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، أَخْبَرَنِي فُلَيْحٌ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبَّاسُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، قَالَ اجْتَمَعَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ وَأَبُو أُسَيْدٍ وَسَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَذَكَرُوا صَلاَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ أَنَا أَعْلَمُكُمْ بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ بَعْضَ هَذَا قَالَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ كَأَنَّهُ قَابِضٌ عَلَيْهِمَا وَوَتَّرَ يَدَيْهِ فَتَجَافَى عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَأَمْكَنَ أَنْفَهُ وَجَبْهَتَهُ وَنَحَّى يَدَيْهِ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى رَجَعَ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ حَتَّى فَرَغَ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَأَقْبَلَ بِصَدْرِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى قِبْلَتِهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَكَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَأَشَارَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عُتْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي حَكِيمٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ التَّوَرُّكَ وَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ فُلَيْحٍ وَذَكَرَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْحُرِّ نَحْوَ جِلْسَةِ حَدِيثِ فُلَيْحٍ وَعُتْبَةَ ‏.‏

Grade	: Sahih (Al-Albani)		صحيح   (الألباني)		حكم     :
Reference		: Sunan Abi Dawud 734
In-book reference		: Book 2, Hadith 344
English translation		: Book 2, Hadith 733

4) It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that:

He saw a man moving pebbles with his hand while praying. When he finished, ‘Abdullah said to him: “Do not move the pebbles while you are praying, for that is from Shaitan. Rather do what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do.” He said: “What did he used to do?” He said: “He would put his right hand on his right thigh, and point with the finger that is next to the thumb toward the Qiblah, and he would look at it, or thereabouts.” Then he said: “This is what I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing.”

أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، – وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ – عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمَعَافِرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى رَجُلاً يُحَرِّكُ الْحَصَى بِيَدِهِ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لاَ تُحَرِّكِ الْحَصَى وَأَنْتَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلَكِنِ اصْنَعْ كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَكَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ قَالَ فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَأَشَارَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ الَّتِي تَلِي الإِبْهَامَ فِي الْقِبْلَةِ وَرَمَى بِبَصَرِهِ إِلَيْهَا أَوْ نَحْوِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ ‏.‏

Grade	: Sahih (Darussalam)
Reference	: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1160
In-book reference	: Book 12, Hadith 132
English translation	: Vol. 2, Book 12, Hadith 1161

5) Abbas bin SAhl [bin Sa’d] narrated:

“Abu Humaid, Abu Usaid, Sahl bin Sa’d, and Muhammad bin Maslamah were once together and they were mentioning the Salat of Allah’s Messenger. Abu Humaid said: “I am the most knowledgeable among you of the Salat of Allah’s Messenger: Indeed Allah’s Messenger sat – meaning for Tashah-hud – he spread his left foot, and made the top of his right (foot) face the Qiblah, and he placed his right hand on his right knee, and his left hand on his left knee, and indicated with his finger – meaning the index finge.”

حَدَّثَنَا بُنْدَارٌ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الْعَقَدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الْمَدَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبَّاسُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ، قَالَ اجْتَمَعَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ وَأَبُو أُسَيْدٍ وَسَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَذَكَرُوا صَلاَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ أَنَا أَعْلَمُكُمْ بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَلَسَ – يَعْنِي – لِلتَّشَهُّدِ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَأَقْبَلَ بِصَدْرِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى قِبْلَتِهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَكَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَأَشَارَ بِأُصْبَعِهِ يَعْنِي السَّبَّابَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَبِهِ يَقُولُ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ قَالُوا يَقْعُدُ فِي التَّشَهُّدِ الآخِرِ عَلَى وَرِكِهِ وَاحْتَجُّوا بِحَدِيثِ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ وَقَالُوا يَقْعُدُ فِي التَّشَهُّدِ الأَوَّلِ عَلَى رِجْلِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَيَنْصِبُ الْيُمْنَى ‏.‏

Grade	: Hasan (Darussalam)
Reference	: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 293
In-book reference	: Book 2, Hadith 145
English translation	: Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 293

6) It was narrated from Malik bin Numair Al-Khuza’i that his father said:

“I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) putting his right hand on his right thigh during prayer, and pointing with his finger.”

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ عِصَامِ بْنِ قُدَامَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـوَاضِعًا يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَيُشِيرُ بَإِصْبَعِهِ ‏.‏

May Allah grant us clear understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah, so that we can better follow in the footsteps of his last and final Messenger, Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

والله تعالى أعلم

وصلى اللهم وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه والتابعين

أخوك أبو ناصر