Tahiyat

TASHAHHUD - Testification of Faith.

Tahiyat Awal
Tahiyat Akher - in addition to above

First Testification of Faith (Tashahhud)

Attahiyatul mubarakatuhs-solawatut-taiyibatu lillah. Assalamu'alaika aiyuhan nabiyu warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Assalamu'alaina wa'ala ibadillahis salihin. Asy-hadu alla ilaha illallah. Wa-asy-hadu anna Muhammadar rasulullah.(End of the Tashahhud). Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad.(This completes the obligation)

( "Greetings, blessings, and the best of prayers to Allah. Peace be upon you O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's righteous slaves. I testify that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. O: Allah, bless Muhammad. )

The Blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) (nb: an integral after the final Testification of Faith, but merely sunna after the first one).The minimum is to say, "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad." (nb: Confines to this minimum at the first Testification of Faith)

Second Testification of Faith (Tashahhud)

Wa'ala a-li Muhammad. Kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahim wa'ala a-li Ibrahim. Wabarik 'ala Muhammad wa'ala a-li Muhammad. Kama barakta a'la Ibrahim wa'ala a-li Ibrahim. Fil 'a-lamina innaka hamidummajid

( and the folk of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the folk of Ibrahim. O Allah, show grace to Muhammad and the folk of Muhammad as You did to Ibrahim and the folk of Ibrahim in the worlds, for You are truly the Most Praiseworthy and Noble. )

During the Tashahhud focus your gaze - initially at the prostrating site, and then at the elevated / pointing index finger when saying " except Allah " (illallah).
Elevate the finger when saying "illallah" ( except allah ) - one should recite the tashahhud along with [h: the blessings on the prophet and] and not lower [h: the finger] -- if one so desires -- until just before the first salam
One sits back (n: an integral) at the final of one's prayer for the Testification of Faith in the tawarruk style of sitting, with one's (O: left) posterior on the ground and left foot on its side, emerging from under right, which is vertical.
A late comer to a group prayer sits in iftirash at the end of his imam's prayer and sits in tawarruk at the end of his own.
Similarly, the person who must perform a forgetfulness prostration sits in iftirash for his last Testification of Faith, prostrates for forgetfulness, and then sits in tawarruk for his Salams.
In the two Testifications of Faith, one's left hand rests on the left thigh near the knee, its fingers extended and held together.
The right hand is similarly placed, but is held closed with its thumb touching the side of the index finger, which alone is left extended.
One lifts the index finger and points with it when one says the words illallah ( "except Allah")

Elevate the pointing right index finger when reciting the "illallah" (except allah) part of - "Asyhadualla illaha illallah" and lower it after completing the first testification of faith / and just before first salaam.

Iftirash - sitting for the Tahiyat Awal in the 2nd rakaat of a 3 or 4 rakaat prayers

Tawarruk - sitting for the Tahiyat Akher in the final rakaat.