Detailed rules of reciting Tashahud in Salaat

There are many Hadith about Tashahud, with slight differences in them.  Those who follow the Hanafi school of thought reciting the Tashahud which is narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him), mentioned in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

 

Hadhrat Shaqeeq Ibne Salma (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) narrates on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) who said that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) turned his attention towards us and said: Certainly Allah Ta’ala is Salaam, the giver of Salaamati (peace/safety), and whosoever offers Salaat he should say this: 

 

 

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَة

اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ۔۔۔۔ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ-

Transliteration: At Tahiyyatu Lillahi Was Salawaatu Wat Tayyibatu As Salaamu ‘Alaika Ayyuhannabiyyu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakutuhu.  Assalamau ‘Alainaa Wa ‘Ala ‘Ibadillahis Saliheen.  Ashadu Allailaha Illallahu Wa Ashadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu Wa Rasuluh.

 

Because when you say these words, then as a Salaam, they will reach all the pious worshippers of Allah Ta’ala in this earth and the skies. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 831) (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 402)

 

Raising finger in Tashahud

 

As per the Hanafi school of Fiqh, it is a Sunnah (Masnoon) to raise the index finger in Tashahud when saying “La Ilaha” and bring it back down when reciting, “Illallah.” The finger should not be moved/shaken, as given in Sunan Abu Dawood, Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, Sunan Kubra and Hadhrat Muhaddith-E-Deccan (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) has recorded this Hadith in the 1st volume of Zujajatul Masabeeh:

 

Translation of Hadith:  It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Zubair (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him), that when reciting the Tashahud, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would gesture with His finger when He reached the Shahadah, but would not shake it. 

 

(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No: 991; Sunan Nasai, Hadith No: 1270; Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, Hadith No: 3242; Sunan Kubra Lil Baihaqui, Hadith No: 2897, Mustakhraj Abi ‘Awana, Hadith No: 1596)

 

As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Kitab Us Salaat, Babi Sifatis Salaat. 

 

Forgetting Tashahud behind Imam

 

The Salaat of the Muqtadi depends on the Salaat of the Imam and Imam is responsible for the Salaat of the follower.  There is Hadith in Jame' Tirmidhi on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The Imam is responsible (for the Salaat of the followers).

 

If the follower makes a mistake, the Sajdah Sahw is not compulsory on him as given in Fatawa A'alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 831.

 

Thus, if the follower forgets to recite the Tashahud, the Salaat is not affected in any way and there is no Sajdah Sahw.

 

Not able to complete Tashahud behind Imam

 

If a follower (Muqtadi) is present in Jama’at during Tashahud of either first or last (Qaida) sitting of Salaat and the person following the Imam has not yet completed the Tashahud when the Imam stands up for third Raka’at of Salaat or ends the Salaat in the last Qaida, then the Salaat is considered to be valid.  Still, it is better to complete the Tashahud.

 

If someone were present in the first Qaida and stood up for the 3rd Raka’at following the Imam without completing it, the Salaat will be considered valid.  Certainly, it will be better to complete it.

 

What to recite in Tashahud when joining the Salaat late

 

The person who misses 1 or more than 1 rakaat of a congregation is called Masbooq (lit. the overtaken one).  About the last sitting (qaida), the ruling for a Masbooq is that he/she should stop with the Tashahud and Tashahud should be recited slowly in such a manner that until the Imam finishes the Salaat, the Tashahud must be continued.  As given in Fatawa A’alamgiri Vol. 1

 

Reciting another Du'a after Tashahud

 

After the Du'a which you have mentioned, reciting some other “Mathura” Du'a is permissible as it is narrated from Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would recite whatever Du'a He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) wished to at this point in Salaat.  As given in Bidayah Wan Nihayah, Vol. 1, Pg No: 113.

 

Also there is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

Translation of Hadith:  It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah Ta’ala be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: When anyone of you finishes the Tashahud in the last Qaida (sitting) of Salaat, that person should ask for Allah's protection against 4 things: From the tortures of hell, from the tortures of the grave, from the disturbances of life and death and from the disturbance of Dajjal.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 1254)

 

In the last Qaida, the Dua should be only in those words which are “Mathura” i.e. which are mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Hadith or similar to them and Dua should not be performed in the way we talk to people.  After the recitations (Adhkaar) of Salaat are over, it is Mustahab (Commendable) for the person offering the Salaat to recite the following:

 

Transliteration: Rabbij ‘Alnee Muqeemas Salaati Wa Min Dhurriyyatee Rabbana Wa taqabbal Dua Rabbanaghfirli Wa Li Walidayya Wa Lil Momineena Yauma Yaqumul Hisaab.

 

As given in Hidayah, Vol. 1, Pg No: 113 and Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg No: 76.

 

Reciting Surah Fatiha in Tashahud

 

There are 3 possible cases here:

 

1.  If after reciting Tashahud, somebody mistakenly recites Surah Fatiha in the last Raka'at, then Sajdah Sahw is not compulsory (Wajib) for that person.

 

2. If a person recites Surah Fatiha instead of the Tashahud, then Sajdah Sahw is compulsory.

 

3. In the same way, if first Surah Fatiha is recited, then Tashahud, Sajdah Sahw becomes compulsory.

 

As given in Fatawa A'alamgiri, Vol. 1, Kitab Us Salaat.

 

Reciting Tashahud before Surah Fatiha

 

When a person recites Tashahud instead of Surah Fatiha, the Jurists (Fuqaha) have clarified that if while standing (Qiyam) somebody recites Tashahud before Surah Fatiha, then prostration of forgetfulness (Sajdah Sahw) does not become compulsory (Wajib).  But if Tashahud is recited after Surah Fatiha, then Sajdah Sahw is compulsory as given in Bahr ur Raqaaiq Vol. 2, Pg. No. 172.