Is it permissible for the one praying in a four-rak'ah or three-rak'ah prayer to recite the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after the tashahhud of the second rak'ah?
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The questioner : This is a questioner for the program who says in this question: Noble Shaykh, is it permissible for the one praying in a four-rak'ah or three-rak'ah prayer to recite the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after the tashahhud of the second rak'ah?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The three-rak'ah and four-rak'ah prayers contain two tashahhuds: a tashahhud in the second rak'ah and a tashahhud in the final rak'ah. As for the tashahhud in the final rak'ah, it is recommended to lengthen the supplication in it, provided one is not an imam whose lengthening of supplication would be burdensome for the ma'mums. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) commanded that after the tashahhud, a person should supplicate with this supplication:Sahih Muslim 588a And he permitted a person to supplicate with whatever he wishes from matters of religion and worldly affairs.
As for the first tashahhud, which is after the second rak'ah, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether one should recite the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in it, or restrict oneself to saying, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." Some of them chose the former, meaning to add the salutation and blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to this tashahhud. Others chose to restrict oneself to saying, "and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." This is closer to the truth. However, if a person adds to it, there is no blame on him; that is, if he recites the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and blesses him, there is no blame.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. The three-rak'ah and four-rak'ah prayers contain two tashahhuds: a tashahhud in the second rak'ah and a tashahhud in the final rak'ah. As for the tashahhud in the final rak'ah, it is recommended to lengthen the supplication in it, provided one is not an imam whose lengthening of supplication would be burdensome for the ma'mums. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) commanded that after the tashahhud, a person should supplicate with this supplication:
O Allah! I seek refuge with Thee from the torment of the Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death and from the evil of the trial of Masih al-Dajjal
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من عذاب جهنم ومن عذاب القبر ومن فتنة المحيا والممات ومن فتنة المسيح الدجالAs for the first tashahhud, which is after the second rak'ah, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether one should recite the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in it, or restrict oneself to saying, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." Some of them chose the former, meaning to add the salutation and blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to this tashahhud. Others chose to restrict oneself to saying, "and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger." This is closer to the truth. However, if a person adds to it, there is no blame on him; that is, if he recites the salutation upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and blesses him, there is no blame.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.