Assalaamu alaikum,

Alhamdulillah and we have come to the end of the series on salaah. If anyone missed a part of the series and has trouble accessing it on the archives, please let me know. May Allah make us hearers of the message and followers of the best of it. Shaickh al-Albaani (raheemahullah) wrote:

The Final Tashahhud

The Obligation of this Tashahhud

Next, after completing the fourth rak'ah, he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would sit for the last tashahhud. He would instruct regarding it, and do in it, just as he did in the first tashahhud, except that "he would sit mutawarrikan"249, "with his left upper thigh on the ground, and both his feet protruding from one (i.e. the right) side."250 "He would have his left foot under his (right) thigh and shin"251, "his right foot upright"252 or occasionally "he would lay it along the ground."253 "His left palm would cover his (left) knee, leaning heavily on it."254 [see diagram - qss]

He set the example of sending prayers on him (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in this tashahhud, as in the first tashahhud; the ways of sending prayer on him (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) narrated have been given in that section.


The Obligation of Sending Prayers on the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in this Tashahhud

Once, "he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) heard a man supplicating in his prayer without glorifying the majesty of Allaah Exalted, nor sending prayers on the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), so he said: This man has been hasty." He then called him and said to him and others, "When one of you prays, he should begin with the praise of his Lord, Sublime and Mighty, and his exultation, and then send prayers (in one narration: he should send prayers) on the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and then supplicate as he wishes."255

Also, "he heard a man glorifying and praising Allaah, and sending prayers on the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in prayer, so the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said to him: Supplicate, and you will be answered; ask, and you will be given."256


The Obligation to Seek Refuge from Four Things before Supplicating

He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say, "When one of you has finished the [last] tashahhud, he should seek refuge with Allaah from four things; [saying:

Allahumma inni a'udhubika min adhaabi jahannam, wa min adhaabila qabr, wa min fitnatil mahya wa mamaati wa min sharri fitnatil maseehu dajjaal.
O Allaah! I truly seek refuge with You] from the punishment of Hellfire, and from the punishment of the grave, and from the trials of living and dying, and from the evil [trials] of the False Christ. [Then he should supplicate for himself with what occurs to him.]"257 - "He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would supplicate with it in his own tashahhud."258

Also, "he used to teach the Companions (radi Allaahu 'anhum) this the way he taught them Soorahs of the Qur'aan."259


Supplication before the Salaam, & its various types

He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to use different supplications in his prayer260, supplicating with different ones at different times; he also endorsed other supplications, and "ordered the worshipper to select of them what he wishes."261 They are:

  1. Allahumma inee a'udhubika min adhabil qabr, wa a'uthubika min fitnatil maseehu dajjaal, wa a'udhubika min fitnatil mahya wal mamaati. allahumma innee a'uthubika minal ma'tham wal maghram.
    "O Allaah! truly I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge with you from the trials of the False Christ, and I seek refuge with You from the trials of living and dying. O Allaah! truly I seek refuge with You from sin262 and burden263."264

  2. Allahumma innee a'uthubika min sharri ma amiltu wa min sharri maa lam a'mal ba'd.
    "O Allaah! truly I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done, and from the evil of what I have not done265 [yet].266

  3. Allahuma hasibnee hisaaban yaseeran
    "O Allaah! call me to account with an easy reckoning."267

  4. Allahumma bi ilmikal ghaib, wa qudratika alal khalqi, ahyinee ma alimtal hayaata khairan lee, wata wafa nee idha kaanatil wafaatu khairan lee. Allahumma wa as aluka khasiataka fil ghaib wa shahaada, wa as aluka kalimatal haqq wal adl fil ghathabi warridha wa as alukal qasdi fil faqri wal ghinaa, wa as aluka na'eeman laa ya beeda, wa as aluka qurrata ainin  laa tan fadhu wa laa tanqati' wa as aluka ridha ba'dal qadha', wa as aluka bardal ayshi ba'dal mauti, wa as aluka ladhata nnadhri ila wajhika, wa as aluka shauqa ilaa liqaa'ika fee ghairi dharraain mudhirra wa laa fitnatin mudhillah. Allahumma zayyinna bi zeenatil eemaan, waj'alna hudaatan muhtadeen.
    "O Allaah! [I ask you], by Your knowledge of the Unseen, and Your control over the creation: give me life as long as You know that life is best for me, and take me when death is best for me. O Allaah! I also ask of You fear of You, in secret and in open; I ask of You the word of Truth (in one narration: Wisdom) and justice in anger and in pleasure; I ask of You moderation in poverty and affluence; I ask of You joy which does not fade; I ask of You pleasure [which does not pass away, nor that] which ceases; I ask of You contentment with Your decree; I ask of You coolness of life after death; I ask of You the delight of looking towards Your Face; and [I ask of You] eagerness towards meeting You, not in harmful adversity, nor in misleading afflictions. O Allaah! adorn us with the decoration of eemaan, and make us those who guide and are guided.268
  5. He taught Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (radi Allaahu 'anhu) to say:
    Allahumma innee dhalamtu nafsee dhulman katheeran, wa laa yaghfirrudhunuba illa anta, faghfirlee maghfiratan min indika, warhamnee innaka antal ghafurun raheem.
    "O Allaah! indeed I have wronged myself greatly, and none can forgive sins except You, so forgive me out of Your forgiveness, and have mercy on me. Truly, You are the Oft- Forgiving, the Most Merciful."269
  6. He instructed 'Aa'ishah (radi Allaahu 'anhaa) to say:
    Allahumma innee as aluka khaira kullih aajilih waajilih maa alimtu minhu wa ma lam a'lam, wa a'udhubika min sharri kullih, aajilih waajilih, ma alimtu minhu wa maa lam a'lam, wa as alukal jannata wa maqarraba ilayha minqaulin aw amal, wa a'udhubika mina nnaar wa ma qarraba ilayha min qaulin aw amal, wa as aluka minal khair ma sa alaka 'abduka wa rasuluka Muhammadun, wa a'udhubika min sharri ma isti aadha ka minhu abduka wa rasuluka Muhammadun sallalahu alyhi wasallam, wa as aluka ma qadhaita li min amrin an taj ala aaqibatahu lee rushda.
    "O Allaah! indeed I ask of You all Good, [the imminent and the far-off,] that of it which I know and that which I do not know. I seek refuge with You from all Evil, [the imminent and the far-off,] that of it which I know and that which I do not know. I ask of You (in one narration: O Allaah! indeed I ask of You) the Garden, and whatever saying or deed which brings one near to it; I seek refuge with You from the Fire, and (from) whatever saying or deed which brings one near to it. I ask of You (in one narration: O Allaah! indeed I ask of You) [the] good of what was asked of You by Your slave and messenger [Muhammad; and I seek refuge with You from evil of what Your slave and messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) sought refuge with You]. [I ask of You] that whatever You have decreed for me, its result [for me] be beneficial.270
  7. He said to a man, What do you say during the prayer? He replied, "I bear witness (i.e. do the tashahhud), then I ask Allaah for the Garden, and I seek refuge with Him from the Fire. However, by Allaah, there is no murmuring271 as good as yours or that of Mu'aadh." So he said, Our murmuring is like yours.272
  8. He heard a man saying in his tashahhud:
    Allahumma as aluka Yaa Allah al ahad, assamad aldhi lam yalid wa lamyu lad wa lam yakun lahu kufwan ahad, antaghfirlee dhunubee innaka antal ghafur raheem
    "O Allaah! indeed I ask of You, O Allaah (in one narration: by Allaah), the One, the Only, the Absolute, Who begets not and nor is He begotten, and there is none like Him, that You forgive me my sins; indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
    On this, he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, He has been forgiven, he has been forgiven.273
  9. He heard another man say in his tashahhud:
    Allahumma innee as aluka bi anna lakal hamdu, laa ilaha illa anta wahdaka laa shareekalaka, ala mannaanu ya badi'u samawati wal ardhi ya dhaljalaali wal ikraam ya hayyu ya qayyuum innee as alukal jannata wa a'uthubika mina nnaar.
    "O Allaah! Indeed, I ask of You, by the fact that to You belongs all Praise; there is no (true) god except You, [You alone, You have no partners;] the Bestower of Favours; [O] Originator of the Heavens and the Earth; O One that is Full of Majesty and Honour; O Living One, O Eternal One; [indeed I ask of You] [the Garden, and I seek refuge with You from the Fire]. [So the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said to his Companions, Do you know with what he has supplicated? They said, "Allaah and His Messenger know best." He said, By Him in Whose Hand is my soul,] he has supplicated Allaah with His Mighty (in one narration: Mightiest) name274, with which if He is supplicated, He answers, and with which if He is asked, He gives.275
  10. One of the last things he would say between the tashahhud and the tasleem would be:

    Allahummaghfirlee ma qaddamtu wa ma akhartu, wa asrartu, wa ma a'lantu, wama asraftu wa ma anta a'lam bihi minnee, antal muqaddimu, wa antal mu akhiru la ilaha illa anta.                                                   "O Allaah! Forgive me what I have done in the past, and what I will do in the future, and what I have concealed, and what I have done openly, and what I have exceeded in, whatever You know about more know than I. You are the Bringer-Forward, and You are the Delayer, there is no (true) god except You."276
 

The Tasleem (Salutation of Peace)

Next, "he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would salute to his right:

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you [such that the whiteness of his right cheek was visible,], and on his left:

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah

Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you [such that the whiteness of his left cheek was visible]."277

Sometimes, he would add to the greeting on the right:

Wa barakaatuhu

... and His blessings (be on you).278

"When he said:

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you to his right, he would sometimes shorten the greeting on his left to:

Assalaamu alaikum

Peace be on you.279

Sometimes, "he would salute once only, [

Assalaamu alaikum

Peace be on you] [in front of his face, turning to his right side a bit,] [or a little]."280

"They used to gesture with their hands when saluting to the right and left; when the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) saw them, he said, 'What is the matter with you, gesturing with your hands as if they are the tails of wild horses?! When one of you salutes, he should look towards his companion and not indicate with his hand.' [So when they prayed with him, they did not gesture.] (In one narration: It is enough for each of you to place his hand on his thigh, and then salute his brothers who are on his right and left).281


The Obligation of the Tasleem

He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say, ... it (the prayer) is exited by the tasleem.282

This is the last of what has been possible to compile regarding the description of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from the takbeer to the tasleem: I hope that Allaah will make it sincerely for His Face, Full of Honour, and a guide to the Sunnah of His kind and merciful Prophet.

Glorified be Allaah, and Praised. Glorified be You, O Allaah, and Praised. I bear witness that there is no true god except You. I seek forgiveness from You and repent to You.

O Allaah! send prayers on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, and send blessings on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers on Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory.283

Alhamdulillah hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubarakan feeh. May Allah accept this small deed from me and make it a cause for easing my affairs. May Allah shower His mercy on Shaickh al-Albaani for such an excellent guidance through the details of this most noble pillar of Islaam. May Allah bless all of you and give us the best in this world and the next. Wasalaatu wasalamu ala Nabiyyina Muhammad. Wa aakhiru da'wa na anil hamdulillahi rabbil alameen. Ameeeeeeeeeeen!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Modou Mbye Jabang