it counts as valid, yet the tashahhud of Ibn Abbas is superior.’ He added: ‘The scholars have reached consensus that any one of the texts may be used, and this ijmaʿ (agreement) was explicitly reported by Qadi Abu al-Tayyib.’ Abu al-Hasanat al-Laknawi remarks in al-Taʿliq al-Mumajjad ʿala Muwattaʾ Muhammad (p. 109): ‘Each position has arguments that seem to support it, and the dispute concerns preference only, as a number of our scholars have stated. This is also implied by Muhammad’s own words here—“All the reported tashahhuds are good, but none resembles the tashahhud of Ibn Masʿud.” Consequently, the ruling adopted in al-Bahr, which declares the tashahhud of Ibn Masʿud obligatory and regards the others as reprehensible to the point of prohibition, contradicts both sound understanding and transmitted evidence and is therefore unreliable.’ [Note] Not all of the earlier formulas contain the additional phrase ‘wa maghfiratuh’ (and His forgiveness); that addition is therefore not authoritative, and some of the early generations actually rejected it. Al-Tabarani relates (3/56/1) with a sound chain that Talhah ibn Musarrif said: ‘Rabiʿ ibn Khuthaym added to the tashahhud—after “wa barakatuh” (and His blessings)—the words “wa maghfiratuh.” Alqamah objected, saying, “We stop where we were taught: peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”’ Alqamah learned this scrupulous adherence from his teacher ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud. It is narrated that Ibn Masʿud was teaching a man the tashahhud; when the man reached the phrase ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,’ he added ‘alone, without partner.’ Ibn Masʿud replied, ‘That is indeed so, but we stop at what we have been taught.’ Al-Tabarani records this in al-Awsat (no. 2848 in my copy) with a sound chain—provided that al-Musayyab al-Kahili actually heard the report from Ibn Masʿud.