pointing indexfinger haram?

[ozgurislam]

As salamu aleykum,

I just read the Makbuat of Imam Rabbani Volume 1 - 312th letter and he is there suggesting that raising the indexfinger in salah is Haraam.He is mentioning that nobody of our imams has narrated in the Zaahir books.And that the fatwa is that it is Haraam.He mentioning it from Fatawa Garaib that the truth on this that it is haraam.


How possible he is naming a sunnah to be haraam?

[Kareem]

i remember reading a q&a on sunnipath from someone who was told the same thing by afghani hanafis.

[salman]

Salamu Alaikum

Sidi Karim is correct. For some reason alot of the Afghanis believe this. Ofcourse they are wrong since pointing the finger is a Sunna and soundly established within the Sahih Sitta, as well as the major books of Hanafi fiqh.

Wasalam

[Arya]

true. i was told the same by an afghan hanafi, last summer. prior to that i, too, would raise my finger during salat. although the shaykh mentioned nothing of it being haram; however, i have since stopped raising my finger during tashahhud - since i'm already struggling with being "present" in my worship. anyway he said that it'd be better not to do it just to avoid falling into sin - by mistakenly having the finger raised a bit longer than prescribed.

[salman]

Salamu Alaikum

I dont see how the Shaykh advised you to not raise your finger when it is soundly established that the Prophet did.

[1] The Sunnas are there to "adorn" your prayer. Presence of mind is not attained by disregarding Sunnas.

[2] Pointing the finger alittle longer the necessary is not sinful at all.

Wasalam

[Sunni_Student786]

I am an "Afghan Hanafi" and I do raise my finger during the Tashahud.

The reason for why, in my opinion, there are many Afghan Hanafis who may not do so is because of the large numbers of Naqshbandis, or people who learn from Naqshbandi train scholars, who follow the Mujaddiddiyah branch of the Naqshbandi Tariqa.

In Afghanistan, the common lore among the people is that it is proper to raise the finger, but not essential, but if one raises the finger at the wrong moment, one will be sinful, so since such is the case, it is better to avoid it. Now I know that such is incorrect, but this is the common lore among them.

Regardless, it is true that half, if not the majority, of laymen Afghan Hanafis do not raise their fingers during the Tashahud and this should be remedied through an increase in the knowledge of this act's place in the Sunnah through hte perspective of Hanafi fiqh.

P.S. I am not offended in any way by the post nor do I feel that "Afghan Hanafis" have been in any way unfairly stereotyped. I'm not one of those sensitive types that gets offended when any mention of race, ethnicity, or nationality takes place !

[Arya]

Salamu Alaikum

I dont see how the Shaykh advised you to not raise your finger when it is soundly established that the Prophet did.

[1] The Sunnas are there to "adorn" your prayer. Presence of mind is not attained by disregarding Sunnas.

[2] Pointing the finger alittle longer the necessary is not sinful at all.

Wasalam

i had read somewhere online that it was sinful to have your finger raised passed "Ashadu an La illaha illAllahu" even for a few seconds (having made this mistake numerous times), so i decided to ask the shaykh about it, and he suggested that i leave that part out inorder to avoid falling into sin... anyway so from what i understood, it's a very fine line, the finger MUST be down right after "Ashadu an La illaha illAllahu" not a few seconds later, and so that's why i've stopped doing it

what level of sunnah is it? and mind you, i'm still learning, so forgive me for being ignorant

[ozgurislam]

As salamu aleykum,

Well i suppose the reason that the Afgan Hanafees are using to leave out the raising of the finger also the most Turkish Hanafees are of the same mind (ofcourse not me) they are also afraid of falling into sin because of wrong pointing on wrong time...this is absolutely baseless if this was a sin than leaving out a sunnah is more sin.

Anyway i think this idea is coming from that some later Hanafi Fuqaha like Imam Rabbani, Al Kaydani, and some authors of fatwa like the auhor of Fatawa Gharaib has given fatwa that it is Haram to point with finger (which is ofcourse absolutely baseless and false)

Even the ones i saw pointing in my mosque and in my home country are pointing between ''LA ILAHA'' - ''ILL ALLAH'' whitout making a circle holding the hand flat.

Like my earlier post this is the most authentic and correct way:

The correct method of raising the finger in Tashahhud is that the ring should be made when the person reaches the Shahadah. Thereafter, the index finger should be raised at the word LAA ILLAHA and put down at the word ILLAL LAH and hold the ring with the lowered stretched index finger until the end of Salaah. (Raddul Mukhtaar Vol. 1, Page 376) So one must hold it until the tasleem.

[Jasimahmed]

Wa alaikumu salaam all my frnds..
I hav saw a post in fb about this topic..its said as a sunnah..

''Moving the index finger

This is something which is neglected by many worshippers because they are ignorant of its great benefits and its effect on khushoo’.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is more powerful against the Shaytaan than iron” (reported by Imaam Ahmad, 2/119, with a hasan isnaad, as stated in Sifat al-Salaah, p. 159), i.e., pointing with the forefinger during the Tashahhud is more painful to the Shaytaan than being beaten with a rod of iron, because it reminds the slave of the Unity of Allaah and to be sincere in his worship of Him alone, and this is what the Shaytaan hates most; we seek refuge with Allaah from him.” (al-Fath al-Rabbani by al-Saa’idi, 4/15).

Because of this great benefit, the Sahaabah, may Allaah be pleased with them, used to enjoin one another to do this and were very keen to remember to do this thing which so many people nowadays take so lightly. It was reported that “the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to enjoin one another, i.e., with regard to pointing with the finger during the du’aa’.” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah with a hasan isnaad, as stated in Sifat al-Salaah, p. 141. See al-Musannaf, no. 9732, part 10, page 381, Dar al-Salafiyyah, India, edn.)

The Sunnah in pointing with the forefinger is that it should remain raised and moving, pointing towards the qiblah, throughout the Tashahhud. ''