Is there one or two tasleems at the end of the prayer?
When finishing the prayer, should we say one tasleem or two?
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The majority of scholars said that one tasleem is sufficient
because evidence to that effect was narrated in some ahaadeeth. But a group
of scholars stated that there have to be two tasleems because of the
soundness of the ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) which prove that, and because he said: “Pray as you have
seen me praying.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh). This view
is the one which is correct.
The view that one tasleem is sufficient is da’eef (weak)
because of the weakness of the ahaadeeth that were narrated concerning that,
and because there is ambiguity in these reports. If they are saheeh then
they are shaadhdh (odd), because they go against reports which are more
saheeh, more sound and more clear. But whoever does that – i.e., says one
tasleem – out of ignorance or believing that the ahaadeeth concerning that
are saheeh, his prayer is still valid. And Allaah is the Source of
strength.