“the righteous servants of Allah.” He then said, “It reaches every righteous servant.” From this the jurists conclude that Arabic possesses a specific form that conveys universality. Ibn Daqiq al-Id remarks: “This is decisively established, both in the Arabic language and in the usages of the Quran and Sunnah. The present proof is but one of countless examples and is not cited to the exclusion of others.” (Fath al-Bari) 2) Al-Shafi‘i and his school adopt this reading. Fath al-Bari (2/252) records: “After quoting the hadith, al-Shafi‘i said: ‘Various reports of the tashahhud have reached me, and this one is dearest to me because it is the most complete.’ Elsewhere, when asked why he preferred the tashahhud of Ibn Abbas, he replied: ‘Because I found it comprehensive and heard it authenticated from Ibn Abbas, it seemed to me the most inclusive and the richest in wording, and I adopted it without reproaching anyone who follows another sound version.’ ” The hadith is reported by Muslim (2/14); Abu Awana (2/227–228); Abu Dawud (1/154); al-Nasa’i (1/175); al-Tirmidhi (2/83); Ibn Majah (1/291–292); al-Tahawi (1/155); al-Daraqutni (133); al-Bayhaqi (2/140); and Ahmad (1/292), all through the chain of al-Layth ibn Sa‘d → Abu al-Zubayr → Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and Tawus → Ibn Abbas. The first additional phrase is found in Muslim and Ibn Majah; Muslim (as well as Abu Awana, 2/228, and others) also transmits it through another route from Abu al-Zubayr (see p. 867 above). The second additional phrase appears in all the cited sources except Ahmad, and likewise is absent from al-Tahawi. As for the first version, in which the word “salam” is indefinite in both places, it is reported by al-Shafi‘i in