he says, “No,” we say, “Read the saying of Allah, Exalted is He: ‘Say, O mankind, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all—He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god worthy of worship except Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him, so that you may be guided.’” [al-A‘raf]

As for your seeking to confuse people by citing ambiguous verses, you are more deserving than anyone of being included in His saying, Exalted is He: “As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow that of it which is ambiguous, seeking tribulation and seeking its interpretation. None knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly grounded in knowledge.” [Al ‘Imran: 7]

This is the first tashahhud, ............

His statement, “This is the first tashahhud”: what is being referred to is what was mentioned, from the words, “All greetings,” to the words, “and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” By “the first tashahhud,” he means the one in three-unit and four-unit prayers.

Know that the hadiths concerning the tashahhud have been narrated in more than one form. What, then, should our approach be toward these forms?

The answer is that the scholars—may Allah have mercy on them—differed regarding such forms. This is after recognizing that it is not possible to combine the two formulations at one and the same time. If, however, they can be combined at the same time, then combining them is preferable, unless there is an indication that each is to be said separately, as with the opening supplication. Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught the tashahhud to Abdullah ibn Masud (1), and he taught it to Abdullah ibn Abbas (2). The hadith of Abdullah ibn Masud is found in the two Sahihs, while the hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas is found in Muslim. Both are authentic, and the only difference between them is a slight one, which indicates to us