(1) With the s read as a fat-ha. Al-Nihaya explains: “When the object in question consists of separate, non-contiguous parts—such as people or animals—the s is pronounced with sukun; when it is a single, continuous entity—such as a house or a head—it is pronounced with fat-ha. Here the term refers to the sitting for the first tashahhud in a four-rak‘ah prayer, and by extension the first tashahhud in a three-rak‘ah prayer.” (2) From this it is understood that the worshiper should not begin the tashahhud until he is completely still, that is, until every joint has settled into place and all movement has ceased. (3) Meaning: place the left foot on the ground and spread it out like a mat to sit on. Al-Shawkani (2/229) wrote: “This is proof for those who say that the sunnah for the middle tashahhud is the iftirash posture; this is the view of the majority.” Ibn al-Qayyim (1/86) commented: “No other report is transmitted from him concerning this sitting—namely, spreading the left foot and keeping the right upright. Malik, however, holds that one should sit in tawarruk here, relying on the hadith of Ibn Masud which says that the Prophet used to sit in tawarruk both in the middle and in the final tashahhud.” Ibn al-Qayyim (1/87) adds: “Tawarruk is reported from him only in the final tashahhud,” end of summary. I say: Al-Shawkani remains silent about this last remark of Ibn al-Qayyim even though, just before it, he had cited the hadith of Ibn Masud that contradicts Ibn al-Qayyim’s claim. He also says nothing about the status of that hadith or who transmitted it; as far as I know, it is one of the unusual reports found only in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad. Ahmad records it in his Musnad (1/459): “Yaqub narrated to us, saying: My father told me, from Ibn Ishaq, who said: So-and-so narrated to me—concerning the Prophet’s tashahhud in the middle and at the end of the prayer—‘Abd al-Rahman b…’”