Third testimony

✅ Answer: Pay attention to the following narrations:

1⃣مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ یَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ یَحْیَی عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَیْمُونٍ عَنْ یَحْیَی بْنِ طَلْحَةَ عَنْ سَوْرَةَ بْنِ کُلَیْبٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَدْنَی مَا یُجْزِئُ مِنَ التَّشَهُّدِ قَالَ الشَّهَادَتَانِ

📚 *Kafi*, Vol. 3, p. 337

Translation: Sura bin Kuleib said: I asked Imam al-Baqir (AS) about the minimum required for the tashahhud; Imam said: The two testimonies!

Explanation: According to many narrations, these two testimonies are the minimum required for the tashahhud:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِیکَ لَهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ و رسوله

2⃣عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِیسَی عَنْ حَرِیزٍ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ وَ زُرَارَةَ جَمِیعاً قَالَا فِی حَدِیثٍ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ صلی الله علیه و آله مِنْ تَمَامِ الصَّلَاةِ (إِذَا تَرَکَهَا مُتَعَمِّداً) فَلَا صَلَاةَ لَهُ إِذَا تَرَکَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ صلی الله علیه و آله

📚 *Wasa'il al-Shi'a*, Vol. 6, p. 407

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: Indeed, sending blessings upon the Prophet (PBUH) completes the prayer. If someone deliberately omits it, their prayer is invalid when they neglect sending blessings upon the Prophet (PBUH).

✅ Explanation: Based on the above two narrations and other hadiths on the subject, the two testimonies and sending blessings upon the Prophet (PBUH) are essential parts of the tashahhud in prayers. However, there are other supplications and phrases mentioned in other narrations that one may read if they desire longer tashahhuds. Moreover, in the following narration, permission is given to say other good phrases, including 'Ashhadu anna Aliyyan amir al-mu'minin wali Allah' in the tashahhud:

3⃣ عَنِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ سَعِیدٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ بَکْرِ بْنِ حَبِیبٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِی جَعْفَرٍ أَیَّ شَیْءٍ أَقُولُ فِی التَّشَهُّدِ وَ الْقُنُوتِ قَالَ قُلْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا عَلِمْتَ فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ کَانَ مُوَقَّتاً لَهَلَکَ النَّاسُ

📚 *Kafi*, Vol. 3, p. 337

Translation: Bakr bin Habib said: I asked Imam al-Baqir (AS) what I should say in the tashahhud and qunut. He replied: Say the best thing you know in the tashahhud and qunut, because if there were a specific and limited phrase in the tashahhud and qunut, the people would be doomed!

✅ Explanation: After performing the obligatory tashahhud, as mentioned in the first two hadiths, since the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) have permitted saying other good phrases, we can also say 'Ashhadu anna Aliyyan amir al-mu'minin wali Allah', which is emphasized in some narrations after the two testimonies, in the tashahhud of the prayer.

Other general supports for permitting this action can be found in the existing narrations, one example being:

قَالَ الصَّادِقُ کُلُّ مَا نَاجَیْتَ بِهِ رَبَّکَ فِی الصَّلَاةِ فَلَیْسَ بِکَلَامٍ

📚 *Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih*, Vol. 1, p. 317

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: Whatever you speak to your Lord in prayer (with it) is not harmful to the prayer!

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ