5/21. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 580a — Raising the Finger in Tashahhud
The description of the sitting during the prayer, and how the hands are to be placed on the thighs
Raising the Finger in Tashahhud: A Prayer Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 580a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 580a
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ عَبْدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَرَفَعَ إِصْبَعَهُ الْيُمْنَى الَّتِي تَلِي الإِبْهَامَ فَدَعَا بِهَا وَيَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِهِ الْيُسْرَى بَاسِطُهَا عَلَيْهَا .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat for tashahhud he placed his left hand on his left knee. and his right hand on his right knee. and he raised his right finger, which is next to the thumb, making supplication in this way, and he stretched his left hand on his left knee.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 580aIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 147USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1203
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 580a
This hadith about raising the finger in tashahhud describes how the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sat during prayer. Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet placed his left hand on his left knee and his right hand on his right knee. He then raised the right finger next to the thumb while making supplication. The report also mentions that his left hand was stretched on his left knee. The focus is the tashahhud sitting position and the use of the right finger in dua. The hadith gives a simple and direct image of the Prophet’s prayer posture. It teaches that the sitting part of salah should be done with care, calmness, and attention to the way described in the narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) placed each hand on the matching knee during tashahhud.
- The right finger next to the thumb was raised during supplication.
- The left hand was kept stretched on the left knee.
- Tashahhud is a moment of focused supplication in prayer.
