Chapter: The Tashah-hud In The Prayer

While observing prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we used to recite: Peace be upon Allah, peace be upon so and so. One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us: Verily Allah is Himself Peace. When any one of you sits during the prayer, he should say: All services rendered by words, by acts of worship, and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright servants, for when he says this it reaches every upright servant in the heavens and the earth. (And say further): I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him and offer it.

" Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him."

" Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him or which he likes."

We were sitting with the Apostle (ﷺ) in prayer, and the rest of the hadith is the same as narrated by Mansur He (also said): After (reciting tashahud) he may choose any prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me tashahhud taking my hand within his palms, in the same way as he taught me a Sura of the Qur'an, and he narrated it as narrated above.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach us tashahhud just as he used to teach us a Surah of the Qur'an, and he would say: All services rendered by words, acts of worship, and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and 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 the Messenger of Allah. In the narration of Ibn Rumh (the words are): "As he would teach us the Qur'an."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to teach us tashahhud as he would teach us a Sura of the Qur'an.

I observed prayer with Abu Musa al-Ash`ari and when he was in the qa`dah, one among the people said: The prayer has been made obligatory along with piety and Zakat. He (the narrator) said: When Abu Musa had finished the prayer after salutation he turned (towards the people) and said: Who amongst you said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people. He again said: Who amongst you has said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people. He (Abu Musa) said: Hattan, it is perhaps you that have uttered it. He (Hattan) said No. I have not uttered it. I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me on account of this. A person amongst the people said: It was I who said it, and in this I intended nothing but good. Abu Musa said: Don't you know what you have to recite in your prayers? Verily the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) addressed us and explained to us all its aspects and taught us how to observe prayer (properly). He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you pray make your rows straight and let anyone amongst you act as your Imam. Recite the takbir when he recites it and when he recites: Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray, say: Amin. Allah would respond you. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir, you may also recite the takbir, for the Imam bows before you and raises himself before you. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The one is equivalent to the other. And when he says: Allah listens to him who praises Him, you should say: O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise, for Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has vouchsafed (us) through the tongue of His Apostle (ﷺ) that Allah listens to him who praises Him. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir and prostrates, you should also recite the takbir and prostrate, for the Imam prostrates before you and raises himself before you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The one is equivalent to the other. And when he (the Imam) sits for Qa`da (for tashahhud) the first words of every one amongst you should be: All services rendered by words, acts of worship and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Apostle, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.

When (the Qur'an) is recited (in prayer), you should observe silence, and (the following words are) not found in the hadith narrated by anyone except by Abu Kamil who heard it from Abu 'Awina (and the words are): Verily Allah vouchsafed through the tongue of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) this: Allah listens to him who praises Him. Abu Ishaq (a student of Imam Muslim) said: Abu Bakr the son of Abu Nadr's sister has (critically) discussed this hadith. Imam Muslim said: Whom can you find a more authentic transmitter of hadith than Sulaiman? Abu Bakr said to him (Imam Muslim): What about the hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, i.e. the hadith that when the Qur'an is recited (in prayer) observe silence? He (Abu Bakr again) said: Then, why have you not included it (in your compilation)? He (Imam Muslim) said: I have not included in this every hadith which I deem authentic; I have recorded only such ahadith on which there is an agreement (amongst the Muhaddithin apart from their being authentic).

" Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, commanded it through the tongue of His Apostle (may peace be upon-him): Allah listens to him who praises Him."