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Finger movements during prayer
explorer
01/20/02 at 15:12:55
[slm] I've noticed in Salat when people raise their index finger during Tashahud there are a variety of ways in which this is done:- i) raise it and after a brief pause put it back down, ii) keep it raised ii) move it back and forth and iv) finger moved in 'circular' motion. The speed of the movements also varies, some do it frantically, others slowly. I assume these differences arise from the mahdab each worshipper follows and the Prophet SAW demonstrated all 4. However did the Prophet SAW recommend any particular method regarding finger movements or can we choose any? Which do you guys do? [wlm]

Re: Finger movements during prayer
Anik
01/21/02 at 02:20:56
asalamu alaikum, I used to try to do mine with a lot of poise and grace and actually inadvertently made a flicking sound every time I did it, because I wanted my finger to be raised in the best possible way for Allah SWT. Then I realized how pomp and show wasn't really the asnwer and then, I once was tired or something during salaat and I said "Ashhadu An La Illah Ill Allah" and as if someone tied a string around my palm-down hand, it rose up so sweetly and simply as if magnetized, and gently dropped back into peaceful rest.  And that's how I do it... sort of lazy, but almost subconciously. asalamu alaikum. abdullah,. p.s. i noticed people do it at different times of the tashahud. Which time is it supposed to be done?   and btw, do you say "audhu billah" at the start of every rakaat?

Re: Finger movements during prayer
zanfaz
01/21/02 at 03:58:40
[slm] From the book 'THE PROPHET'S PRAYER DESCRIBED' by Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaani Moving the Finger in Tashahhud "He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would spread his left palm on his left knee, clench all the fingers of his right hand, point with the finger adjacent to the thumb towards the qiblah, and fix his sight on it (i.e. the finger)."*546 Also, "when he pointed with his finger, he would put his thumb on his middle finger"547, and sometimes "he would make a circle with these two."*548 "When he raised his finger, he would move it, supplicating with it"549, and he used to say, "It is surely more powerful against the devil than iron, meaning the forefinger."*550 Also, "the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to remind each other, that is, about pointing with the finger when supplicating."*551 Once, "he saw a man supplicating with two fingers, so he said, "Make it one, [make it one,]" and indicated with his forefinger."*552 "He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would do this in both tashahhuds."*553 [hr] Footnotes 546 Muslim, Abu 'Awaanah & Ibn Khuzaimah. Humaidi (13/1) and Abu Ya'laa (275/2) added with a saheeh sanad on the authority of Ibn 'Umar: "and this is the shooting of the devil; no-one will forget when he does this", and Humaidi raised his finger. Humaidi also said that Muslim bin Abi Maryam said, "A man related to me that in a church in Syria, he saw images of Prophets depicted like this", and Humaidi raised his finger. This is an extremely strange remark, but its sanad up to "the man" is saheeh. 547 Muslim & Abu 'Awaanah. 548 Abu Daawood, Nasaa'i, Ibn al-Jaarood in al-Muntaqaa (208), Ibn Khuzaimah (1/86/1-2) & Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (485) with a saheeh sanad. Ibn al-Mulaqqin also declared it saheeh (28/2), and it has a supporting narration in Ibn 'Adi (287/1). 549 ibid. About "supplicating with it", Imaam Tahaawi said, "This is evidence that it was at the end of the prayer." Hence, there is evidence in this that the Sunnah is to continue pointing and moving the finger until the tasleem, for the supplication is until then. This is the view of Maalik and others. Imaam Ahmad was asked, "Should a man point with his finger during prayer?" He replied, "Yes, vigorously." (Mentioned by Ibn Haani in his Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad, 1/80). From this, it is clear that moving the finger in tashahhud is a proven sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and it was practised by Ahmad and other imaams of the Sunnah. Therefore, those who think that it is pointless and irrelevant and has nothing to do with the Prayer, should fear Allaah, since because of this, they do not move their fingers although they know it to be an established sunnah; and they take great pains to interpret it in a way which is inconsistent with the 'Arabic way of expression and contrary to the understanding of the imaams with regard to it. The amazing thing is that some of them will defend an imaam on other issues, even if his opinion conflicts with the Sunnah, with the argument that to point out the imaam's mistakes inevitably means to taunt and disrespect him. They then forget this and reject this established sunnah, at the same time mocking at those who practise it. Whether or not they realise it, their mockery also includes those imaams whom they often defend wrongly, and who are correct about the Sunnah this time! In fact, they are deriding the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) himself, for he is the one who brought us this sunnah, and so jeering at it is equivalent to jeering at him. << But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this except ... >> As for putting the finger down after pointing, or limiting the movement to the affirmation (saying laa ilaaha: 'there is no god ...') and negation (saying: illallaahu: '... except Allaah'), all of that has no basis in the Sunnah; in fact, it is contrary to the Sunnah, as this hadeeth proves. Further, the hadeeth that he would not move his finger does not have an authentic isnaad, as I have explained in Da'eef Abi Daawood (175). Even if it were authentic, it is negatory, while the hadeeth above is affirmatory: the affirmatory takes precedence over the negatory, as is well- known among the scholars. 550 Ahmad, Bazzaar, Abu Ja'far al-Bukhteeri in al-Amaali (60/1), 'Abdul Ghani al-Maqdisi in his Sunan (12/2) with a hasan sanad, Rooyaani in his Musnad (249/2) & Baihaqi . 551 Ibn Abi Shaibah (2/123/2) with a hasan sanad. 552 Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/40/1, 2/123/2) & Nasaa'i . Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed, and there is a supporting narration for it in Ibn Abi Shaibah. 553 Nasaa'i & Baihaqi with a saheeh sanad.

Re: Finger movements during prayer
akbalkhan
01/21/02 at 10:12:38
Wa Lakum as Salam, Faizan, you my Muslim! Thanxs for posting that as I have had an itch about this since I have prayed with some Maliki brothers.  I will insha'Allah begin incorporating this into my amal, pronto. Can't wait for my wife to say, 'What's this now?!  You're always changing how we pray!! Regards, Qamar Akbal Kaan

Re: Finger movements during prayer
Abd_Allah
01/21/02 at 12:18:53
assalaamu alakaykum, sooo...let me know if I get this right...when I pray, if I only raise my finger during the statement of "there is no GOD but ALLAH and Muhammed PBUH is HIS messenger" And then put it down, I am doing a bida in my salaah? Please clarify for me. Abd_ALLAH

Re: Finger movements during prayer
Hajreee
01/21/02 at 12:58:19
Salamu Alaikum just a side note- the Rosool (saw) used to pray different ways...like he used to pray witr different at times, and he used to pray with his hands to his sides sometimes, etc etc etc... okee, ta ta Wassalamu Alaikum

Re: Finger movements during prayer
amatullah
01/22/02 at 14:27:55
Bismillah and salam, I think we have to be careful when we say that the prophet saws used to pray in different ways. Some things were always the same. Others were not. So not everything is open for change really. I always thought the movemnet of the index symbolized the whipping of the shaytan. Where did that come from? i don't know.
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