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Tashahhud

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The Tashahhud (Arabic: تشهد‎‎) is the portion of salat (obligatory prayer) where the Muslim kneels on the ground facing Qibla in Mecca.

Contents

Origins

There is a Hadith, thought to be authentic (or Sahih) that says:

Sunni (Hanafi and Hanbali) Recitation

  • Sunni Muslims (both Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought) recite the Tashahhud as:

    • التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلٰى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِيْنَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهُ

    This translates as:

    "Salutations to God and prayers and good deeds. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of God and his blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous servants of God. I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger."

    Sunni (Maliki) Recitation

  • A variant used by Sunni (Maliki school of thought) Muslims is:

    • التحيات لله الزكيات لله والطيبات الصلوات لله السلام عليك ايها النبي و رحمة الله و بركاته السلام علينا و على عبادك الصالحين أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أنّ محمدا عبده ورسوله


    This translates as:

    "Blessed salutations, pure actions, good words and prayers to God. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of God and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous servants of God. I bear witness that there is no god other than God and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."

    Sunni (Shafii) Recitation

  • Another variant used by Sunni (Shafii school of thought) Muslims is:

    • التحيات المباركات الصلوات الطيبات لله، السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته، السلام علينا، وعلى عباد الله الصالحين، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأشهد أن محمداً رسول الله


    This translates as:

    "Blessed salutations, prayers, good deeds to God. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of God and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous servants of God. I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His messenger."

    Shi'ite (Ja'fari) Recitation

  • The Imami Shi'ites of the Ja'fari school recite the Tashahhud as:

    • أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له, وأشهد أنّ محمدا عبده ورسوله. اللهم صلى على محمد وآل محمد


    This translates as:

    "I bear witness that there is no god but God the One and no partner to Him, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His prophet. O God bestow blessings upon Muhammad and the household of Muhammad."


    The Tashahhud is followed by the Taslim

    The bare minimum is to say "Assalamu Alaikum" (Peace be with you) السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ. It is highly recommended, though, that you add "Wa Rahmatul Lahi wa Barakatuh" (and God’s mercy and blessings) وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ..

    It is highly recommended, though, that you recite

    السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته السلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحين السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ


    This translates as:

    "May peace, mercy of the Almighty and His blessings be with you, Oh Prophet. May peace be with us and the good among Allah’s servants. May peace, mercy, and blessings of the Almighty be with you."

    Zaidi Recitation

    For the Zaidi, the middle Tashahhud after the second rakʿah is recited as:

    After the last rakʿah, the Zaidi recite the Tashahhud in its full formula:

    Greetings on Muhammad

    The recitation of the tashahhud is followed by reciting greetings on Muhammad, known as aṣ-ṣalātu ʿala -n-nabī.

    References

    Tashahhud Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA