2/193. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 987 — Finger Pointing in Tashahhud
Pointing (With The Finger) During The Tashah-hud
Hadith About Finger Pointing and Sitting in Tashahhud
Sunan Abi Dawud : 987
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 987
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُعَاوِيِّ، قَالَ رَآنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَأَنَا أَعْبَثُ بِالْحَصَى فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ نَهَانِي وَقَالَ اصْنَعْ كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ . فَقُلْتُ وَكَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ قَالَ كَانَ إِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ أَصَابِعَهُ كُلَّهَا وَأَشَارَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ الَّتِي تَلِي الإِبْهَامَ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى .
’Abd al-Rahman al-Mu’awl Narrated from:
‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar saw me playing with pebbles during prayer. When he finished his prayer, he forbade me (to do so) and said: Do as the Apostle (ﷺ) used to do. I asked him: How would the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) do? He said: When he sat during the prayer (for reciting the tashahhud), he placed his right hand on his right thigh, and clenched all his fingers, and pointed with the finger which is adjacent to the thumb, and he placed his left hand on his left thigh.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 987In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 598English translation : Book 2, Hadith 982
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 987
This hadith teaches the posture of sitting in prayer for tashahhud. Abd Allah ibn Umar saw someone playing with pebbles during prayer and told him not to do that. He then said to do as the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to do. When asked how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sat, Ibn Umar described it clearly. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed his right hand on his right thigh, clenched his fingers, pointed with the finger next to the thumb, and placed his left hand on his left thigh. The core topic is tashahhud posture. The hadith also warns against restless actions like playing with pebbles in prayer. For searches such as finger pointing in tashahhud or Sunnah sitting in prayer, this narration gives a clear description.
What we learn from this hadith
- Avoid playing with pebbles or similar distractions during prayer.
- Follow the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم manner of sitting in tashahhud.
- Place the right hand on the right thigh and the left hand on the left thigh as described.
- Pointing with the forefinger in tashahhud is mentioned in the report.
