بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Shaykh Al-Albānī said: He (ﷺ) would sit mutawarrikan in the last tashahhud, with his left upper thigh on the ground, and both his feet protruding from one side (i.e. right side), his left foot would be under his (right) thigh and shin, his right foot would be upright on its toes, or sometimes he would spread it along the ground. His left palm would cover his left knee, leaning heavily on it. (Sifat al-Salāh pg. 981-989)
Evidence of sitting mutawarrikan
1) Abū Humayd al-Sā’idī said in the presence of ten companions of the prophet (ﷺ): “I am more knowledgeable than any of you regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ).” They said: “So present it (i.e. what you know).” He then mentioned the hadīth, saying: “he (ﷺ) bent the toes of his feet (turning them towards the Qiblah) when he prostrated, then he would say “Allāhu Akbar,” and raise his head (to sit up). He would place his left foot horizontally (on the ground) sitting on it. And he would perform the second rak’ah in a similar manner.” Then he mentioned the hadīth. And said: “Until (when) he would perform the prostration (i.e. rak’ah) that precedes the Taslīm (salutation), he would move his left leg further and sit Mutawarrikan (on the buttocks) – on the left side.” They said: “You are right. This is how he (ﷺ) used to pray.” (Abū Dawūd 963. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī. A more detailed account of the above can be found in no. 730 of Abū Dawūd)
2) In the version in Sahīh al-Bukhārī (828) he said:… “On sitting in the second rak’ah he (ﷺ) sat on his left foot and propped up the right one (i.e muftarishan); and in the last rak’ah he pushed his left foot forward (under the shin) and kept the other foot propped up and sat on the buttocks.”
3) ‘Abdullāh ibn Zubayr narrated on the authority of his father: “When the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) sat in prayer, he would place the left foot between his (right) thigh and shin, and stretch the right foot (along the ground). He placed his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right thigh, and pointed with his finger.” (Sahīh Muslim 579)
When to sit mutawarrikan
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
The prophet (ﷺ) performed the tawarruk posture in the last tashahhud that is followed by Taslīm (salutation).
The context of the hadīth is clear that the tawarruk is legislated in the tashahhud that is followed by the salām in the prayers that contain three or four rak’ah.
Abū Humayd described how the prophet (ﷺ) sat in the first tashahhud – wherein he sat on his left foot – that he stood up afterwards, and then “Until (when) he would perform the prostration (i.e. rak’ah) that precedes the Taslīm (salutation), he would sit Mutawarrikan.” This text clearly indicates that the prophet (ﷺ) sat in the tawarruk posture in the second tashahhud. (Abridged from Zād al-Ma’ād 2/112-115)
Shaykh Al-Albānī said:
As for two rak’ah prayers, such as Fajr, the sunnah is to sit muftarishan (i.e. placing the left foot horizontally and sitting on its ankle, whilst raising the right foot vertically so it’s toes are facing the Qiblah). (Sifat al-Salāh pg. 981-989)
Imām Ahmad was asked regarding al-Tawarruk in prayer. He said: It is (done) in Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishā. (Masā’il Imām Ahmad of Ibn Hāni no. 389)
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