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Direction of the eye during the Tashahhud

Question

Where should we look at when we are reciting the Tashahhud (Attahyaat)? Please advise, with supporting Hadeeth, if possible.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The evidence from the Sunnah is that one should look at his index finger while moving it in Tashahud. The evidence for this is what An-Nasaa'ee, Ibn khuzaymah, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Bayhaqi and others may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them have reported that 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar,  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him put his right hand on his right knee, and pointed with his index finger to the direction of the Qiblah and he was looking at it or towards it, then he said: "This is how I saw the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) doing." In the narration of Ibn Hibbaan and others the following wording is stated: "And he did not used to look beyond his finger." The author of Tuhfatul-Ahwathi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: 'The Sunnah is that one should not look beyond his finger as stated in the narration of Az-Zubayr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him and should point it towards the Qiblah with the intention to signify the Oneness of Allaah.'

Allaah knows best.

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