2/193. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 989 — Pointing the Finger Without Moving It
Pointing (With The Finger) During The Tashah-hud
Hadith About Pointing the Finger in Tashahhud Without Moving It
Sunan Abi Dawud : 989
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 989
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْمِصِّيصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُشِيرُ بِأُصْبُعِهِ إِذَا دَعَا وَلاَ يُحَرِّكُهَا . قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ وَزَادَ عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَامِرٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْعُو كَذَلِكَ وَيَتَحَامَلُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى .
'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to point with his finger (at the end of the tashahhud) and he would not move it. Ibn Juraij said: "And 'Amr bin Dinar added: 'He (Ziyad) said: "'Amir informed me from his father that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) supplicating like that. And the Prophet (ﷺ) would brace himself with his left hand on his left knee.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 989In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 600English translation : Book 3, Hadith 984
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 989
This hadith focuses on pointing the finger during supplication in tashahhud. Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to point with his finger when he supplicated and would not move it. The added wording says that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was seen supplicating like that and bracing himself with his left hand on his left knee. The core topic is finger pointing. This narration is often searched as hadith about moving finger in tashahhud, pointing finger in prayer, or forefinger during dua in salah. The text gives one clear detail: he pointed with the finger and did not move it. It also mentions the left hand position. The explanation should stay with these reported actions and not turn this into a wider debate.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم pointed with his finger when supplicating in this sitting.
- This report says he did not move the pointed finger.
- The left hand was braced on the left knee as mentioned in the narration.
- The hadith teaches calm and controlled movement in prayer.
