Sunan Abi Dawud

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.

The adoration of the tongue are due to Allah, and acts of worship, all good things. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and His blessings. Ibn ‘Umar said: I added: “And Allah’s blessings, peace be upon us, and upon Allah’s upright servants. I testify that there is not god but Allah. “Ibn ‘Umar said: I added to it: He is alone, no one is His associate, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle.

Hittan ibn Abdullah ar-Ruqashi said: AbuMusa al-Ash'ari led us in prayer. When he sat at the end of his prayer, one of the people said: Prayer has been established by virtue and purity. When AbuMusa returned (from his prayer or finished his prayer), he gave his attention to the people, and said: Which of you is the speaker of such and such words? The people remained silent. Which of you is the speaker of such and such words? The people remained silent. He said: You might have said them, Hittan. He replied: I did not say them. I was afraid you might punish me. One of the people said: I said them and I did not intend by them (anything) except good. AbuMusa said: Do you not know how you utter (them) in your prayer? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) addressed us, and taught us and explained to us our way of doing and taught us our prayer. He said: When you pray a (congregational) prayer, straighten your rows, then one of you should lead you in prayer. When he says the takbir (Allah is Most Great), say the takbir, and when he recites verses "Not of those upon whom is Thy anger, nor of those who err" (i.e. the end of Surah i.), say Amin; Allah will favour you. When he says "Allah is most great," and bows, say "Allah is most great" and bow, for the imam will bow before you, and will raise (his head) before you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is for that. When he says "Allah listens to the one who praises Him," say: "O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be praise, Allah be praised," Allah will listen to you, for Allah, the Exalted, said by the tongue of His Prophet (ﷺ): "Allah listens to the one who praises Him." When he says "Allah is most great" and prostrates, say: "Allah is most great" and prostrate, for the imam prostrates before you and raises his head before you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is for that. When he sits, each one of you should say "The adorations of the tongue, all good things, and acts of worship are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright servants. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle." This version of Ahmad does not mention the words "and His blessings" nor the phrase "and I testify"; instead, it has the words "that Muhammad."

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.

The Messenger of Allah( may peace be upon him) used to teach us the tashahhud as he would teach us the Qur’an, and would say: The blessed adoration of the tongue, acts of worship (and) all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah’s upright servants. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is Allah’s apostle (peace be upon him).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded us (to recite) when we sit in the middle of the prayer or at its end before the salutation: The adorations of the tongue, all good things, acts of worship, and the Kingdom are due to Allah. Then give salutation to the right side; then salute your reciter (i.e. the imam) and yourselves. Abu Dawud said: Sulaiman b. Musa hails from Kufah and he lives in Damascus. Abu Dawud said: This collection of traditions indicates that al-Hasan (al-Basri) heard traditions from Samurah (b. Jundub).

We said or the people said: Messenger of Allah, you have commanded us to invoke blessing on you and to salute you. As regards salutation we have already learnt it. How should we invoke blessing? He said: Say: “O Allah, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst bless Abraham and Abraham’s family. O Allah, grant favours to Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst grant favours to Abraham; Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.

Bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst bless Abraham.

O Allah, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as didst bless Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. O Allah grant favours of Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst grant favour to Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Zubair b. ‘Adi as narrated by Mis’ar , except that his version goes: As Thou didst bless Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. And grant favours to Muhammad. He then narrated the tradition in full.

Some people asked: Messenger of Allah, how should we invoke blessings on you? He said: Say,” O Allah, bless Muhammad, his wives and his off springs, as Thou didst bless Abraham’s family, and grant favours to Muhammad’s family, his wives and off springs, as Thou didst grant favours to Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us in a meeting of Sa’d b. ‘Ubadah. Bashir b. Sa’d said to him: Allah has commanded us to invoke blessings on you, Messenger of Allah. How should we invoke blessings on you? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kept silence so much so that we wished he would not ask him. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Say. He then narrated the tradition like that of Ka’b b. ‘Ujrah. This version adds in the end: In the universe, Thou art praiseworthy and glorious.

Say, O Allah, bless Muhammad, the Prophet, the unlettered, and Muhammad’s family.

if anyone would like to have the fullest measure granted to him when he invokes blessings on us, the members of the prophet’s family, he should say: O Allah, bless Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet, his wives who are the mother of the faithful, his off springs, and the people of his house as Thou didst bless the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.

When one of you finishes the last tashahhud, he should seek refuge in Allah from four things: the punishment in Hell, the punishment in the grave, the trail of life and death, and the evil of Antichrist.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say after the tashahhud: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in Hell, and I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, and I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of antichrist, and I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and death."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying: O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful. He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.)

It pertains to the sunnah to utter the tashahhud quietly.

‘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.

When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) sat during the prayer( at the tashahhud), he placed his left foot under his right thigh and shin and spread his right foot and placed his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right thigh, and he pointed with his forefinger.

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.