His statement, “during his tashahhud”: the word “during” denotes a temporal setting, and the setting is broader than what it contains. Does this mean that he points with it throughout his tashahhud, from the moment he begins until he finishes, or does it mean that he points with it at the appropriate point for pointing during his tashahhud?

The author’s words allow for either possibility, but others have clarified that he points with it when the cause for pointing is present. What, then, is the cause for pointing?

Its cause is the mention of Allah. The jurists differed over the meaning of “the mention of Allah.” It was said: when the Divine Name is mentioned. Accordingly, when you say, “All greetings are for Allah,” you point; “Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah,” you point; “Peace be upon us and upon Allah’s righteous servants,” you point; “I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” you point. This is four times in the first tashahhud. “O Allah, send blessings”—five times, because “O Allah” originally means “O Allah”; “O Allah, bless”—six; “I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of Hell”—seven.

It was also said that what is meant by the mention of Allah is the specific remembrance, namely, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.” Accordingly, he points only once, when he says, “I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.”

This is the jurists’ disagreement. However, the sunnah indicates that he points with it only when supplicating, because the wording of the hadith is: “He moves it, supplicating with it” (1). Reports have also been narrated both negating movement and affirming movement (2). Reconciling the two