Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Is it from the sunnah to point with one’s index finger whilst supplicating between the two prostrations? الإشارة بالسبابة بين السجدتين

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions.

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

As to what follows:

In response to your question, we say, and with Allah Almighty lies all success:

The majority of scholars opine that the index finger should not be raised except during the tashahhud, but one group opined that it can be raised between the two prostrations. This can be understood from the words of Ibn Qayyim in Zad al-Ma`ad, when he spoke about what `Asim bin Kulayb narrated from his father, from Wa’il bin Hajar (may Allah be pleased with him), who said describing the prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “He prostrated and placed his hand on level from his ears, and then sat making his left leg flat [to the ground]. He then placed his left hand upon his left knee, and placed his right arm upon his right thigh and pointed with his index finger whilst connecting his thumb and middle finger, clenching his fist. He then prostrated  and his hands were at level with his ears.” [Ahmad (18379)]

This is clear in providing evidence for the one praying to point with his index finger between the two prostrations.

As for the majority of scholars, they say that this narration differs from what has been preserved in narration from the Prophet (peace be upon him) in other hadiths, as he did not do that except during the tashahhud. This is how it is recorded from the hadith narrated by Nafi`, from Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said, “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sat for tashahhud, he placed his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right knee, and he formed a ring like (fifty-three) gesture and pointed with his index finger.” [Muslim (580)]

This shows that pointing the index finger is done during tashahhud. What seems to be most apparent is that pointing the index finger during tashahhud is a confirmed sunnah that has been transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him). As for between the two prostrations, it should be done occasionally, and that is why it was not transmitted like his act of doing it during tashahhud. And Allah knows best. 

Your brother,

Dr. Khalid al-Muslih

6 / 4 / 1428 AH