Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyat)

"The Prophet (ﷺ) after finishing the prayer with Taslim used to stay at his place for a while." Ibn Shihab said, "I think (and Allah knows better), that he used to wait for the departure of the women who had prayed." Ibn Shihab wrote that he had heard it from Hind bint Al-Harith Al-Firasiya from Um Salama, the wife of the Prophet (Hind was from the companions of Um Salama) who said, "When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer with Taslim, the women would depart and enter their houses before Allah's Apostle departed."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during his illness prayed in his house sitting, whereas some people followed him standing, but the Prophet (ﷺ) beckoned them to sit down. On completion of the prayer he said, "The Imam is to be followed. So, bow when he bows, and raise your head when he raises his head." (See Hadith No. 657 Vol 1 for taking the verdict).

The Prophet (ﷺ) narrating about his Lord I'm and said, "Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed (the way) how (to write). If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times: and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him, and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account) ."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Seventy thousand or seven hundred thousand of my followers will enter Paradise. (Abu Hazim, the sub-narrator, is not sure as to which of the two numbers is correct.) They will be holding on to each other, the first will not entering the last one does, their faces like the moon on a full moon night."

The first (form) with which was started the revelation to the Messenger of Allah was the true vision in sleep. And he did not see any vision but it came like the bright gleam of dawn. Thenceforth solitude became dear to him and he used to seclude himself in the cave of Hira', where he would engage in tahannuth (and that is a worship for a number of nights) before returning to his family and getting provisions again for this purpose. He would then return to Khadija and take provisions for a like period, till Truth came upon him while he was in the cave of Hira'. There came to him the angel and said: Recite, to which he replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me [the Apostle said] and pressed me, till I was hard pressed; thereafter he let me off and said: Recite. I said: I am not lettered. He then again took hold of me and pressed me for the second time till I was hard pressed and then let me off and said: Recite, to which I replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me and pressed me for the third time, till I was hard pressed and then let me go and said: Recite in the name of your Lord Who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite. And your most bountiful Lord is He Who taught the use of pen, taught man what he knew not (al-Qur'an, xcvi. 1-4). Then the Prophet returned therewith, his heart was trembling, and he went to Khadija and said: Wrap me up, wrap me up! So they wrapped him till the fear had left him. He then said to Khadija: O Khadija! what has happened to me? and he informed her of the happening, saying: I fear for myself. She replied: It can't be. Be happy. I swear by Allah that He shall never humiliate you. By Allah, you join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people's burden, you help the destitute, you entertain guests, and you help against the vicissitudes which affect people. Khadija then took him to Waraqa b. Naufal b. Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzza, and he was the son of Khadija's uncle, i. e., the brother of her father. And he was the man who had embraced Christianity in the Days of Ignorance (i.e. before Islam) and he used to write books in Arabic and, therefore, wrote Injil in Arabic as God willed that he should write. He was very old and had become blind Khadija said to him: O uncle! listen to the son of your brother. Waraqa b. Naufal said: O my nephew! what did you see? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then, informed him what he had seen, and Waraqa said to him: It is namus that God sent down to Musa. Would that I were then (during your prophetic career) a young man. Would that I might be alive when your people would expel you! The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Will they drive me out? Waraqa said: Yes. Never came a man with a like of what you have brought but met hostilities. If I see your day I shall help you wholeheartedly.

By Allah, Allah would never humiliate you, and Khadija said: O son of my uncle! Listen to the son of your brother.

He (the Holy Prophet) came to Khadija an his heart was trembling. The rest of the hadith has been narrated like one transmitted by Yunus and Ma'mar, but the first part is not mentioned, i. e. the first thing with which was started the revelation to the Prophet was the true vision. And these words like those transmitted by Yunus are mentioned thus: By Allah, Allah would never humiliate you. And there is also a mention of the words of Khadija: O son of my uncle! Listen to the son of your brother.

His father said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat in the second or fourth rak'ah, he would place his hands on his knees and point with his finger."

"We used not to know what we should say in each rak'ah apart from glorifying, magnifying and praising our Lord. But Muhammad (ﷺ) taught us everything about what is good. He said: "When you sit following every two rak'ahs, then say: At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu 'alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatAllahi wa baraktuhu. As-salamu 'alaina wa 'ala 'ibad illahis-salihin, ashahdu an la illaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluhu (Allah compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah (SWT) and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT). I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger), then choose any supplication that you like and call upon Allah the Mighty and Sublime with it.'"

"We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we did not know anything, then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: "Every time you sit (in prayer), say: At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu 'alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatAllahi wa baraktuhu. As-salamu 'alaina wa 'ala 'ibad illahis-salihin, ashahdu an la illaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluhu (Allah compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah (SWT) and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT). I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)."

He saw the Prophet (ﷺ) sitting during the prayer. He lay his left foot on the ground and placed his forearms on his thighs, and pointed with his forefinger, supplicating with it.

"I said: 'I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and see how he prays.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and faced the Qiblah, then he raised his hands until they were in level with his ears, then he held his left hand with his right. When he wanted to bow, he raised them (his hands) likewise, then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head from bowing, he raised them (his hands) likewise. When he prostrated he put his hands in the same position in relation to his head, then he sat up and lay his left foot on the ground. He placed his left hand on his left thigh and his right elbow on his right thigh, and made a circle with two of his fingers. And I saw him doing like this"- Bishr (one of the narrators) pointed with the forefinger of his right hand and made a circle with the thumb and middle finger.

Abu Humaid, Abu usaid, Sahl b. Sa'd and Muhammad b. Maslamah got together. Then he narrated this tradition. He did not mention the raising of hands when he stood after two rak'ahs, nor did he mention sitting. He said: When he finished (his prostration), he spread his foot (on the ground) and turned the toes of his right feet towards the qiblah(and then he sat on his left foot).

Alqamah said that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud caught hold of his hand saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) caught hold of his (Ibn Mas'ud's) hand and taught him the tashahhud during prayer.

He then narrated the (well known ) tradition (of tashahhud). This version adds: When you say this or finish this, then you have completed your prayer. If you want to stand up, then stand, and if you want to remain sitting, then remain sitting.

When he( the imam) recites the Qur'an, keep silence(and listen attentively). And in the tashahhud this version adds after the words "I testify that there is no god but Allah" the words "He is alone, and there is no associate of Him."

Abu Dawud said: His word "And keep silence" is not guarded; it has been narrated by Sulaiman al-Taimi alone in his version.

It pertains to the sunnah to utter the tashahhud quietly.

He kept his look fixed on the finger he was pointing.

"Allah's Messenger taught us, that when we sit for every two Rak'ah we should say: (At-Tahyyatulillah, was-salawatu wattayybaat. As-salamu alaika ayyuhannabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, as-salamu alaina wa ala ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Rasuluh.) 'All greetings, prayers, and pure words are Allah. Peace be upon you O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and His blessings. Peace be upon us and all of the righteous worshippers of Allah. I testify that nne has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's servant and Messenger.'"

"Allah's Messenger would teach us the Tashah-hud just as he would teach us the Qur'an. He would say: (At-Tahiyyatu, al mubarakatu, as-salawatu at-tayyibatulillah. Salamun alaika ayyuhan-naibiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, salamun alaina wa ala ibadalillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Raduluh.) 'All greetings, goodness, prayers, and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and His blessings, Peace be upon us and all of the righteous worshippers of Allah. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's worshipper and Messenger.'"

"It is from the Sunnah to say the Tashahhud quietly"

"When we performed prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) we said: "Peace be upon Allah from His slaves, peace be upon Jibra'il and Mika'il and so-and-so and so-and- so.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard us and said: "Do not say peace (Salam) be upon Allah, for He is As-Salam. When you sit (during prayer) say: At-Tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibatu; as- salamu "alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu; as- salamu "alayna wa "ala "ibadillahis-salihin (All compliments, prayers and good words are due to Allah; peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings; peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah)." For as you say that it will reach every righteous slave in the heavens and on earth. (Then say:) "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan "abduhu wa Rasuluhu (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)." (Another chain) with similar wording. (Another chain) that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the Tashahhud." And he mentioned similarly.

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach us the Tashah-hud as he used to teach us a Surah of the Qur'an. He used to say: "At-Tahiyyatul-Mubarakatus salawatut-tayyibatu lillah; As-salamu "alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu; as-salamu "alayna wa "ala "ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan "abduhu wa Rasuluhu (All blessed compliments and good prayers are due to Allah; peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings; peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).'"

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) addressed us and explained the Sunnah for us, and he taught us our prayer. He said: "When you perform prayer, and you are sitting, let the first thing you say be: At-Tahiyyatut-tayyibatus-salawatu lillah; as-salamu "alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu; as-salamu "alayna wa "ala "ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan "abduhu wa Rasuluhu (All compliments, good words and prayers are due to Allah; peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings; peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger). Seven phrases which are the greeting of the prayer.'"

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say in the tashahhud, "Greetings, good words, prayers, pure actions belong to Allah. I testify that there is no god except Allah, alone without partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. Peace be on you, Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the slaves of Allah who are salihun. Peace be upon you."

"At-tahiyatu, at- tayibatu, as-salawatu, az-zakiyatu lillah. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa'llah, wahdahu la sharika lah wa anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu. As-salamu alayka ayyuha-n-nabiyyu wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu alayna wa ala ibadi-llahi's-salihin. As-salamu alaykum."

I said, "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I have two neighbours, to which of them should I send a present?" He (ﷺ) replied, "To the one whose door is nearer to you".

[Al-Bukhari]

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best of companions with Allah is the one who is best to his companions, and the best of neighbours to Allah is the one who is the best of them to his neighbour".

[At-Tirmidhi].