Which version of the *Tashahhud* is preferred for recitation?
Chapter on the Description of Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The *Tashahhud* taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud—'All compliments are for Allah, and all prayers, and all goodness. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger'—is the preferred one according to our Imam (Ahmad), and it is the position held by the majority of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the subsequent Tabi'in. This view is held by Al-Thawri, Ishaq, Abu Thawr, and the Companions of Opinion, along with many scholars of the East. The evidence for this preference is the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, which is reported through multiple chains and considered the most authentic narration regarding the *Tashahhud*. This narration is supported by Ibn Umar, Jabir, Abu Musa, and Aisha. It is prioritized because the narration of Ibn Abbas, while authentic, features variations in wording across narrations, whereas the narration of Ibn Mas'ud is sounder in chain, has more narrators, and is universally agreed upon. Furthermore, it contains additional content, uses the conjunction 'wa' (and), which is more common in eloquent Arabic, and includes 'al-' (the) in the greetings, implying comprehensiveness. The statement by Al-Aswad, that they memorized it from Abdullah just as they memorized the letters of the Quran, proves its precise retention, making it superior.
Supporting text
Malik prefers the *Tashahhud* of Umar ibn Al-Khattab: 'All compliments are for Allah, all pure things are for Allah, all prayers are for Allah,' followed by the rest of Ibn Mas'ud's version, arguing that Umar's utterance on the pulpit in the presence of the Companions without repudiation indicates consensus (*Ijma*). Al-Shafi'i prefers the narration from Ibn Abbas, which states: 'Say: Blessed compliments, blessed prayers, good prayers are for Allah, peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings...' However, the narration of Ibn Mas'ud is considered superior due to its established authenticity and numerous confirmations. The narration of Umar is considered a saying of Umar, not directly from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and thus cannot establish consensus against the Prophet's established practice. While reciting any verified *Tashahhud* from the Prophet (peace be upon him) is permissible, the preference lies with Ibn Mas'ud's version.