Whats the deal with raisng your index finger when you say the shahadah in prayer?

Question

Whats the deal with raisng your index finger when you say the shahadah in prayer?

Answer 1

Ok, you're gonna laugh but I always heard it was symbolic of smacking shaitan. Some ppl get a little happy there & smack him like 10 times! But I'm contented with just once xD

Answer 2

i think it symbolizes that there is only one god, Allah, and Prophet Mohammed (saw) is his messenger.

Answer 3

God is everywhere and beyond our conception. Pointing one direction in that sense meaningless.

Answer 4

The excat meaning is"" I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God """

so this is to testify the above statement thru a gesture of a finger that "" God is One""

Answer 5

An excellent guide to salat is at http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?H... . It displays aspects of the salat according to whether they are required, recommended, etc.

How to point in Tashahhud at http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?H... explains when to raise and when to lower the finger in tashahhud. Do Hanafis raise their index finger in tashahhud? at http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?H... makes a citation from one of the major texts of fiqh. Inshallah these links prove useful.