The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us to learn the rulings on prayer and how he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed, so that we would follow his example in that. He said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (631). 

Based on this, we must pay attention to learning this. 

The wordings for the tashahhud and the blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been narrated in reports are many and various. It is best for the Muslim to recite all of them, saying it in one form on one occasion and in another form on another occasion, and so on, so that he will have done all the sunnahs. He should not limit himself only to some of them. But if that is too hard for him, then he should stick to what he is able to do, and there is no sin on him in sha Allaah. 

There follow some of the versions of the tashahhud and blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been narrated in proven reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the prayer. 

Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) recited the tashahhud as follows:  At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa’s-salawaatu wa’t-tayyibaat, as-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu. As-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allaah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6265) and Muslim (402). 

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) recited the tashahhud as follows: At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa’s-salawaatu wa’t-tayyibaat, as-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu. As-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allaah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

Narrated by Abu Dawood (971) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. 

The tashahhud of ‘Umar was recited by him on the minbar in order to teach the people: “At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi, az-zaakiyaatu Lillaahi, al-tayyibaatu Lillaahi, al-salawaatu Lillaahi. As-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu. As-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu (All compliments are due to Allaah, all pure things are due to Allaah, all pure words are due to Allaah, all prayers are due to Allaah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger). 

Narrated by Maalik (204) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. 

As for the wording of the blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is as follows: 

“Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama salayta ‘ala Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraaheem, innaka hameedun majeed. Allaahumma baarik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama baarakta ‘ala Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraaheem, innaka hameedun majeed (O Allaah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers upon Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. O Allaah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory).”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370). 

“Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama salayta ‘ala aali Ibraaheem, wa baarik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama baarakta ‘ala aali Ibraaheem fi’l-aalameen, innaka hameedun majeed (O Allaah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers and blessings upon Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem among the nations; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory).”