Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Is it wrong to recite durood (the blessings on the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace) in the first sitting after reading the tashahhud (al-tahiyyat… up to ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu) ? And why?
Walaikum assalam, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
It is necessary (wajib) to get up from the first sitting (for the tashahhud) without undue delay. An undue delay (which is approximately to the extent of saying Allahumma Salli `ala Muhammadin wa `ala Aali Muhammad) would be prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman, which is the ruling of omitting any wajib). So it is not the sending of blessings on the Beloved of Allah that is prohibitively disliked. Rather, the disliked is leaving the wajib of getting up without delay. [Note that the inevitable delay of catching one’s breath, and ‘getting oneself together’ is not considered undue, as the scholars explain.] [See: Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 1: 498, and Tahtawi’s Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]
It is reported that Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him) saw the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), who asked him, “O Abu Hanifa! Why have you made forgetfulness prostrations necessary for one who invokes blessings upon me? [i.e. in the first sitting]”
Abu Hanifa replied, without hesitation, “O Messenger of Allah! Because he did so forgetfully.”
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) smiled approvingly. [Mentioned by Ibn Abidin in his Radd al-Muhtar, 1: 498, Bulaq ed.]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam.
Faraz Rabbani