Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I was watching an islamic programme on tv and the man said to read half of atta-hi-yatu prayer in namaaz when u sit after two rakaats and read full attahiyatu prayer after four rakats. ive always read the whole thing after two and four. i dont know what to think?

Also i asked a while back about having some hairs of my deceased father and i was told i should bury them. i wanted to know how and where i should bury these? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Read half or full tashahud in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Reported Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (r.a.), "When the Prophet (saws) sat after the first two rakah (for the first ‘tashahud’, it seemed as if he was (sitting) on hot stones."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

It is reported that the renowned scholar, Ibn al-Qayyim, said that "It is not reported from the Prophet (saws) that he would say prayers upon himself or his family (the durood) during the first ‘tashahud’ in his prayers. Nor would he (saws) seek refuge from the torment of the grave or the Hell-fire, or from the test of life, death and of the false Messiah. The correct position is that their proper place is in the last ‘tashahud’.”

Your Question: ….ive always read the whole thing after two and four. i dont know what to think?

The Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) was to make the first ‘tashahud’ as short as possible, and recite the recitation only until the ‘shahaadah’ or testimony of faith.

In the final ‘tashahud’ one is additionally required to recite the full salutation unto the Prophet (saws), and one may make as many supplications as one wills or is easy for them.

Your Question: ….also i asked a while back about having some hairs of my deceased father and i was told i should bury them. i wanted to know how and where i should bury these? 

Respected brother, if you have access to a muslim graveyard, it would be preferred that your buried them there. If you do not have access to a muslim graveyard near your place of residence, then you may bury them under any ground at your disposal.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan