Shahadah, Darud and Tashahud - For Joseph Islam

[Reader Questions]

Assalam alaykum Brother Joseph.


I have read some of your articles and I think you have done a great job. I too am a muslim who based my beliefs using the Quran.

Anyways I was wondering on your thoughts on the traditional shahadah and tashahud and darood in salat. For me I dont find reciting the shahadah to be shirk at all even in salat I dont find the tashahud bad either although I replaced "...to you, O prophet..." to "...to the prophet.." and Yes I do ask God to bless Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) since I recognized the difference between praying for someone than praying to someone and I recalled a verse which Allah stated that we should send blessings to the noble prophet.

Anyways I was just wondering on yiur thoughts on the shahadah, tashahud and darood in salah since I am quite confuse considering that I am a muslim who trys base their beliefs using solely the Quran.

[Joseph Islam]

Wa alaikum assalam

Thanks for your email and comments.

Yes indeed, from my humble perspective I do not see any issues with what you have shared. Furthermore, from a Quran’s perspective, I do not see you associating ‘partners’ with God in what you have shared. Even though in the article [1] below, I discuss the testimony from a Quran’s perspective to emphasise the Oneness of God, I also share the following sentiment in the section entitled “AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION”

“…Having noted the above, claiming a shahadaha (testimony) in the traditional manner (There is no diety but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God - Arabic: La illaha illala muhammad-a-rasullallah) is perfectly acceptable in that the testimony is absolutely true from a Quran's perspective even though it does not appear in one collective form in the Quran….” [1]

I know there are those that claim to follow the Quran that take what I respectfully feel is an unwarranted ‘hard-line’ restrictive view, but from my humble perspective, the Quran’s guidance is much more flexible than that.

I also see nothing wrong with the recitation of the ‘Darud’ in salaat. Please kindly see [2] below where I shared the following sentiments in the final thoughts section:

'It is quite plausible that this prayer possibly due to its perpetual propagation within the sphere of Muslim daily prayer en masse has captured a more consistent understanding of the Quran's directives which include:

(i)     Not to make any distinctions between God's messengers.
(ii)    Not linking the lineage of Prophet Abraham (pbuh) with that of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
(iii)   Resonating the prayer of Prophet Abraham (pbuh) from the Quran' [2]


Finally, I have shared the following sentiment in reference [3] below:

“With regards the'Tashahhud' and the greeting which is in the ‘first person narrative', the article is correct in what it suggests and can be avoided or at least, phrased differently.” [3]

I hope this helps, God willing.

Regards,
Joseph


REFERENCES:

[1] SHAHADAH - THE TRUE TESTIMONY
http://quransmessage.com/articles/shahadah%20FM3.htm
[2] DARUD SHAREEF PRAYER
http://quransmessage.com/articles/darud%20shareef%20prayer%20FM3.htm
[3] The Remit of 'Dhikr', Invocations to others in Prayers and Tashadud
http://quransmessage.com/forum/index.php?topic=1082.0