What is the Sunnah method of raising the finger in the Tashahud?


ⓘ Supported by Al Medina 313.

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

The Hadith narrations allow for a difference of opinion regarding the Sunnah method of raising the finger in Tashahud. According to the Hanafi Madhab the most accurate and authentic narrations dictate that one should raise the index finger and not move it around. Whilst the middle finger produces a circle with the thumb and the other two fingers are folded.

عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَعَدَ يَدْعُو، وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى، وَيَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى، وَأَشَارَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ السَّبَّابَةِ، وَوَضَعَ إِبْهَامَهُ عَلَى إِصْبَعِهِ الْوُسْطَى، وَيُلْقِمُ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى رُكْبَتَهُ

(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Zubair (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat for supplication he placed his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh. He ﷺ pointed with his index finger and placed his thumb on his middle finger. He covered his knee with the palm of his left hand. (Sahih Muslim, 579 – 113).

The Hadith above is from Sahih Muslim. Therefore, the authenticity of the Hadith is confirmed. The Hadith supports the Hanafi position of raising the index finger whilst producing a circle with the middle finger and thumb during Tashahud.

The Hadith can also be considered evidence for the Hanafi position of not moving the finger around when pointing, since there is no mention of such movement. However, there is a narration that is more specific regarding this issue. Therefore, it is a stronger proof.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُشِيرُ بِأُصْبُعِهِ إِذَا دَعَا، وَلَا يُحَرِّكُهَا

(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Zubair (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to point with his index finger when supplicating and did not move it around. (Abu Dawood, 989).

(رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ): قَالَ النَّوَوِيُّ: إِسْنَادُهُ صَحِيحٌ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)

It was narrated by Abu Dawood. (Imam) al-Nawawi said the chain is Sahih. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).

In the authentic Hadith below, it specifically mentions that two of the fingers were folded. This refers to the ring finger and the small finger. Since other Hadith narrations clarify that the index finger is used to point, and the thumb and middle finger produce a circle. Therefore, it must be the ring finger and the small finger that are folded.

ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَحَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الْأَيْمَنَ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً

Then He ﷺ sat in the Iftiraash position, spreading his left foot. He ﷺ placed his left hand on the left thigh. He kept his right elbow aloof from his right thigh and folded two (fingers) to produce a circle. (Abu Dawood 726).

In the Hadith in Sahih Muslim above it states that the left hand covers or grasps the knee. Another Hadith in Sahih Muslim provides further clarification regarding this. It states that the left hand is simply placed upon the left knee.

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَرَفَعَ إِصْبَعَهُ الْيُمْنَى الَّتِي تَلِي الْإِبْهَامَ، فَدَعَا بِهَا وَيَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ بَاسِطَهَا عَلَيْهَا

(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that when the Prophet ﷺ sat in Salah he placed his hands upon his knees. He ﷺ raised his index finger and supplicated with it. His ﷺ left hand was spread upon his knee. (Sahih Muslim, 580 – 114).

All of these Hadith narrations are summarised in the statements found in the books of the Hanafi Madhab.

يَعْقِدُ الْخِنْصَرَ وَالْبِنْصِرَ وَيُحَلِّقُ الْوُسْطَى مَعَ الْإِبْهَامِ وَيُشِيرُ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ. (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)

He folds the small and ring fingers and produces a circle with this middle finger and thumb. He points with the index finger. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Kaasaani, Badai al-Sanai).

فَإِنْ أَشَارَ يَعْقِدُ الْخِنْصَرَ وَالْبِنْصِرَ وَيُحَلِّقُ الْوُسْطَى بِالْإِبْهَامِ وَيُقِيمُ السَّبَّابَةَ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

When he points, he folds the small and ring fingers and produces a circle with this middle finger and thumb. He points by raising the index finger. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtaar).

It is important to recognise that there is room for difference of opinion regarding this issue. The above narrations support the Hanafi position. However, there are other narrations that support variant opinions too. It has been a feature of Ahl al-Sunnah to accept valid differences of opinion. Unfortunately, some Muslims have moved away from this in recent times, due to lack of knowledge or misunderstanding the way of Ahl al-Sunnah.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (16.07.2022)

See also:
How to respect difference of opinion?

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