Question:
What is the ruling on sending prayers (salaams) upon the Prophet ﷺ in the first and second tashahud?
Answer:
There is a difference of opinion in regards to this question as the correct opinion is that sending prayers (salaams) upon the Prophet ﷺ in the first tashahud is not permitted. Also it is not confirmed on the Prophet ﷺ that he ordered with that or that he encouraged it nor that he had done it.
However, if he ﷺ was preforming the night prayer, where he would pray 9 units, this what is confirmed in the hadith of A’aishah in a narration that comes in Sunnan an-Nasaai and other than him, I believe Musnad Ahmad. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed 8 units and he didn’t sit except in the 8th, then he would preform the tashahud and send the salaams upon the Prophet ﷺ and make dua. Then he would stand without making taslim, so this is considered to be the first tashahud.
Hence, this (sending salaams in the first tashahud) has not been confirmed expect in this (version of the night prayer), as for other than it then no.!
It came in the hadith of Ibn Masud (رضي الله عنه) reported by Ahmad and Ibn Kuzaimah, and this hadith has a good chain, that the Prophet ﷺ made that clear and he said “if you sit in the middle of the prayer then say التحيات لله”… until the end of the hadith, “then stand” so he made it clear.
So whoever sends salaams upon the Prophet ﷺ in the first tashshud then he shouldn’t be refuted, however this is the correct stance in my opinion. As for in the second tashahud then it is sunnah and this is the stance of the majority of the scholars.
Likewise, there is no proof that it is wajib or that it is a pillar. Therefore it is a sunnah so if someone was to leave off sending the salaams upon the Prophet ﷺ in the first and second tashahud then his prayer is correct and Allah knows best.
Answered by: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/bajmaal/5455
Translated by: Abu Musa Jamaal al-Britaani