From the perspective of the scholars of hadith, it is an established sunnah to point with the index finger during the tashahhud. However, regarding whether the finger should be moved or kept still, there is a recognized difference of opinion — both ways have been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. Yet, the index finger should remain raised throughout the entire tashahhud.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي، قَالَ:
فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَكَبَّرَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ، ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ، فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَحَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الْأَيْمَنَ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً، وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا: وَحَلَّقَ بِشْرٌ الْإِبْهَامَ وَالْوُسْطَى وَأَشَارَ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ.
Narrated by Musaddad:
He said, Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal narrated to us, from ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, from his father, from Wa’il ibn Hujr, who said:
“I said, ‘I will observe how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prays.’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood facing the qiblah, said takbir, and raised his hands until they were level with his ears. Then he placed his left hand in his right hand.
When he intended to bow, he raised them in the same way and then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head from bowing, he raised them again in the same way.
When he prostrated, he placed his head between his hands in that same position.
Then he sat, spread out his left leg, placed his left hand on his left thigh, set his right elbow on his right thigh, and clenched two fingers, forming a ring. I saw him do this.”
Bishr (the narrator) formed a ring with the thumb and middle finger and pointed with the index finger.
(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 726)
