Different meanings of two words.

Q. I have noticed that the tashahhud in most arabic scripts has the following transliteration eg. ibaadillaahissaalihiin. However when the same word is transliterated in Hisnun Muslim it reads eg. ibaadikasaalihiin. Could you please explain the difference to me?


A. The words ‘ibaadillahis saalihin’ means ‘the righteous servants of Allah’. When connected to the beginning of the dua in Tashahud it reads, ‘Peace be upon us and (upon) the righteous servants of Allah’.

The words ‘ibaadikas saalihin’ means ‘Your righteous servants’. In the dua it will mean, ‘Peace be upon us and your righteous servants (O Allah)’.

In Hisnul Muslim, although the words ‘ala ibaadikas saalihin’ is given in the Arabic, the English translation which has been given is that of ‘ibaadillaahis saalihin’ – upon all of Allah’s righteous servants.

I have checked many books of Ahadith for these words, (i.e. ibaadika) but it is not there. In fact, all the different wordings of the Tashahud which have been narrated from the Companions (Sahabahs) have the words ‘ibaadillahis saalihin’ and no one from among them has narrated ‘Ibaadikas saalihin’. This is very clear from the Tashahud of Abdullah bin Masud (R.A) which he narrated from the Prophet (S.A). It is also evident from the Tashahud of Umar, Abdullah bin Abbas, Abdullah bin Umar, Aisha, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abu Moosa Al Ash’ari, Jabir bin Abdullah, and all others who have narrated the Tashahud of the Prophet (S.A). I do not know the source of the word ‘Ibaadikas saalihin’. However, the meaning is not such that will render the recitation (of the Tashahud) invalid.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Waseem Khan