Ruling 1086. In the second rakʿah of all obligatory and recommended prayers, and in the third rakʿah of maghrib prayers, and in the fourth rakʿah of ẓuhr, ʿaṣr and ʿishāʾ prayers, one must sit [in a kneeling type of position] after the second sajdah; and while his body is still, he must say tashahhud, i.e.:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

ashhadu an lā ilāha illal lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh, allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa āli muḥammad

I testify that there is no god but Allah, He alone, for whom there is no partner. And I testify that Muḥammad is His servant and His messenger. O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad.

And it is sufficient for one to say:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

ashhadu an lā ilāha illal lāh, wa ashhadu anna muḥammadan ṣallal lāhu ʿalayhi wa ālihi ʿabduhu wa rasūluh

I testify that there is no god but Allah. And I testify that Muḥammad – may Allah shower His blessings upon him and his progeny – is His servant and His messenger.

Tashahhud is also necessary in the witr prayer.[1]

Ruling 1087. The words of tashahhud must be said in correct Arabic, consecutively, and in a normal manner.

Ruling 1088. If a person forgets tashahhud, stands up, and remembers before going into rukūʿ that he has not performed it, he must sit down, say tashahhud, stand up again, recite everything that must be recited in that rakʿah, and complete the prayer. And based on recommended precaution, after completing the prayer, he should perform sajdatā al‑sahw for standing without due reason. However, if he remembers [that he has not said tashahhud] during or after performing rukūʿ, then he must complete the prayer. And based on recommended precaution, after the salām of the prayer, he should perform qaḍāʾ of the tashahhud, and he must perform sajdatā al‑sahw for the forgotten tashahhud.

Ruling 1089. It is recommended that while saying tashahhud, one should sit with his weight placed on his left thigh and place the front of his right foot on the sole of his left; and before tashahhud, he should say:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ

alḥamdu lillāh

...or he should say:

بِسْمِ اللهِ وَبِاللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَخَيْرُ الْأَسْمَاءِ لِلّٰهِ

bismil lāhi wa billāh, wal ḥamdu lillāh, wa khayrul asmāʾi lillāh

In the name of Allah and by Allah. All praise is for Allah, and the best names belong to Allah.

It is also recommended that one place his hands on his thighs, close his fingers together, look at his lap, and say after reciting ṣalawāt in tashahhud:

وَتَقَبَّلْ شَفَاعَـتَهُ وَٱرْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ

wa taqabbal shafāʿatahu war faʿ darajatah

And accept his [i.e. the Prophet’s] intercession and raise his rank.

Ruling 1090. It is recommended that women keep their thighs closed together when saying tashahhud.