It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sat in Tashahhud, he would place his left hand on his left thigh and his right hand on his right thigh, and he would gesture with his index finger. The gaze of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not go beyond his gesture.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he saw a man moving pebbles with his hand while he was praying. When he finished the prayer, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said to him: "When you are praying, do not disturb the pebbles, for this is a satanic act. Rather, do as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do." He said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would place his right hand on his thigh and point towards the Qiblah with the finger next to the thumb, and he would also look towards it or gaze at it. Then he said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) doing it in this manner."

Contrary to the opinion of the person who says that it is not permissible to supplicate with non-Quranic supplications in obligatory prayers.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that beware, indeed we did not know what to recite in the two rak'ahs (in the Tashahhud) except that we used to glorify Allah, declare His greatness, and praise and extol Him. And indeed Muhammad (peace be upon him) has taught prayers that open the doors of goodness and are comprehensive. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When you sit in the Tashahhud after every two rak'ahs, recite these words «‏‏‏‏التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰہِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ ّٰاللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ َّاللهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا َّاللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ» ‏‏‏‏: 'All verbal and pure physical acts of worship are for Allah. O Prophet, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you. Peace be upon us and upon all the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that indeed Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger.'" "Then let any one of you choose a supplication he likes and supplicate with it."

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When any one of you has recited the Tashahhud, he should seek refuge with Allah from four things. He should supplicate in this way «‏‏‏‏اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَھَنَّمَ وَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ» ‏‏‏‏: 'O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah (Dajjal), and from the evil of the trials of life and death.' This is the narration of Waki’."

Hazrat Sayyiduna Ibn Tawoos narrates from his father that he used to recite some words after Tashahhud and gave them great importance. I asked, "Did he recite them in both Tashahhuds?" He replied, "(No), rather he would recite them only after the Tashahhud in the last two rak‘ahs." I asked, "What are those words?" He said, «‏‏‏‏أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَھَنَّمَ، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ» ‏‏‏‏ "I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of Hell, and I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of the false messiah (Dajjal), and I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge with Allah from the trials of life and death." He says that he gave great importance to these words (and would recite them with great care). Ibn Jurayj says that he narrated this hadith to me from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) from the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that among the last supplications between the Tashahhud and Salam of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is this: «‏‏‏‏اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ» ‏‏‏‏ "O Allah, forgive my earlier and later sins, my hidden and open sins, and the wrong I have committed against myself, and those faults which You know better than I do. You are the One Who brings forward and the One Who puts back. There is no deity except You."

Sayyiduna Mihjan bin Adra’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the mosque and suddenly saw a man who had completed his prayer and was supplicating in the Tashahhud with these words, «‏‏‏‏اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْأَلُـكَ يا اللهُ بِأَنَّـكَ الواحِـدُ الأَحَـد الصَّـمَدُ الَّـذي لَـمْ يَلِـدْ وَلَمْ يولَدْ، وَلَمْ يَكـنْ لَهُ كُـفُواً أَحَـد، أَنْ تَغْـفِرْ لي ذُنـوبي إِنَّـكَ أَنْـتَ الغَفـورُ الرَّحِّـيم» ‏‏‏‏.“O Allah, I ask You by virtue of that Allah Who is One, Self-Sufficient, Who neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him, that You forgive my sins. Indeed, You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”(Upon hearing this supplication) the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times:“Indeed, he has been forgiven, indeed, he has been forgiven.”

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked a man: "What do you recite in prayer?" He replied, "I recite the Tashahhud, then I make this supplication, «‏‏‏‏اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَسْأَلُـكَ الجَـنَّةَ وأََعوذُ بِـكَ مِـنَ الـنّار» ‏‏‏‏ 'O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge with You from the Fire of Hell.'" (Then that man said) "By Allah, I do not know how to hum like you or like Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him)" (i.e., I do not know comprehensive supplications like you). So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "We also hum around these two things" (i.e., we also ask Allah for these two supplications). Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) said that by 'dandana' is meant speech that cannot be understood.

Hazrat Aamir bin Sa’d narrates from his respected father Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would turn his head to the right side (to such an extent) that the whiteness of his cheek would become visible, and he would also turn his head to the left side until the whiteness of his cheek would become visible.