When to raise the finger in Tashahud

Question

bismillaah, assalaamu alaykum dear mufti saheb,

I am a Hanafi muslim and I would like to know how to do isharah with the index finger while praying tashahhud in salaah? Please give also the references and dalil.

Answer

Wa alaykum as salam

Raising the finger in al-tahiyyat is sunnah. The correct method is as follows: when one reaches the first ‘ashhadu’, he should close the smallest finger of the right hand and the finger next to it (the ring finger), and connect the tips of the thumb and the middle finger by forming a circle. He should then raise the index finger when saying ‘la’ and drop it upon reaching ‘illa’ while straightening the rest of the fingers [as stated in Gunyah al-Mustamli (page 328), al-Fatawa al-Ridawiyyah (6/190 & 152) and Bahar e Shari’ah (volume 3, chapter of sunnah acts in salah)].

One should not move the finger side to side or up and down once it has been raised, because it is reported in Abu Daud from Abd-Allah b. Zubayr that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would make dua (reach the shahadat section of al-tahiyyat), he would indicate using his finger but he would not move it around [Sunan Abu Daud, Kitab al-Salah; Bab al-Isharah fi al-Tashahud].

And Allah knows best
Muhammad Kalim
21 Ramadan 1438

Verified by Mufti Zahid Hussain al-Qadiri