Some people move their index finger throughout the entire tashahhud. Is that permissible? Or is moving the index finger limited to the two testimonies? We ask for your guidance.
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The questioner : Some people move their index finger throughout the entire tashahhud. Is that permissible? Or is moving the index finger limited to "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger"? We ask for your guidance.
The Shaykh : Moving the index finger is only done during supplication, not throughout the entire tashahhud.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : So when one supplicates, he moves it, as that came in some hadiths. He moves it while supplicating with it. The point is that the one who supplicates is supplicating to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky, as He, the Exalted, said:[Al-Mulk 67:16-17] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4351 So Allah, the Exalted, is in the sky, meaning in the height, above everything. So when you supplicate to Allah, you indicate the height. For this reason, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he addressed the people during the Farewell Pilgrimage and said: They said: Yes. So he raised his finger to the sky and kept pointing it at the people, saying: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3606Hasan (Darussalam) three times. And this indicates that Allah, the Exalted, is above, above everything, and this is a clear matter known by fitrah, reason, hearing, and consensus.
And on this basis, whenever you supplicate to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, you move the index finger, indicating with it toward the sky. And in other cases, you keep it still. So let us follow the places of supplication in the tashahhud: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad. I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal" These are eight places of supplication, so you indicate with it toward the sky. Yes.
The questioner : If you please, O honorable Shaykh, repeat the same eight places for the listeners?
The Shaykh : Yes. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad. I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal. These are eight places where a person moves his finger toward the sky. And if he supplicates with anything else, he also raises it, because the rule is that he raises it at every supplication.
The questioner : Very good, very good. May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.
The listener, S.Y.N. from Jordan, sent a message.
The Shaykh : Moving the index finger is only done during supplication, not throughout the entire tashahhud.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : So when one supplicates, he moves it, as that came in some hadiths. He moves it while supplicating with it. The point is that the one who supplicates is supplicating to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is in the sky, as He, the Exalted, said:
(16) Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not cause the earth to swallow you and suddenly it would sway? (17) Or do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not send against you a storm of stones? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning.
أَأَمِنتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ * أَمْ أَمِنتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِDon't you trust me though I am the truth worthy man of the One in the Heavens
ألا تأمنوني وأنا أمين من في السماءHave I not conveyed it?
ألا هل بلغت؟O Allah, bear witness, O Allah, bear witness, O Allah, bear witness
اللهم اشهد، اللهم اشهد، اللهم اشهدAnd on this basis, whenever you supplicate to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, you move the index finger, indicating with it toward the sky. And in other cases, you keep it still. So let us follow the places of supplication in the tashahhud: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad. I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal" These are eight places of supplication, so you indicate with it toward the sky. Yes.
The questioner : If you please, O honorable Shaykh, repeat the same eight places for the listeners?
The Shaykh : Yes. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad. I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal. These are eight places where a person moves his finger toward the sky. And if he supplicates with anything else, he also raises it, because the rule is that he raises it at every supplication.
The questioner : Very good, very good. May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.
The listener, S.Y.N. from Jordan, sent a message.