Question Summary:
What is the origin of Tashahhud? Are you allowed to keep food uncovered the entire night?

Question Detail:

 
1. What is the origin of Tashadud (Athihat in Salah). I have heard from someone that it is a conversation between Allah swt and Prophet Mohammed sallelahu alaihi wa sallam during Meraj and the last part (Ash-hadu-la ilaha ...) was said by the Angels. Is this authentic, if yes, it is from which Hadith/Book?
 
2. If by mistake food is kept open during the whole night, what should we do? Throw it? Eat it?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1) The famous scholar of Hadith, Mulla Ali Qāri Rahimahullah, the author of “Mirqāt-ul-Mafātīh”, the commentary on “Mishkāt-ul-Masābīh” explains the origin of Tashahhud as follows:
قَالَ ابْنُ الْمَلَكِ: رُوِيَ: أَنَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمَّا عُرِجَ بِهِ أَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، فَقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ»
“Ibn Al-Malak Rahimahullah says: It has been narrated when the Prophet Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam was taken up (on the occasion of Mi’raj), he praised Allah Ta’ala with the following words, (التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ). So Allah Ta’ala replied, السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. Then the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ. Then Jibreel Alayhi Salaam said أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.”[1]
Allamah Mawlana Yusuf Binnori Rahimahullah refers to this incident in “Ma’ārif As-Sunan” as follows:[2]
واما قوله السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته فهي ثلاثة بمقابلة الثلاثة التي اثني بها النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم علي ربه ليلة الاسراء
“As for his saying: 'Peace be unto you, O Prophet, the mercy of Allah and His blessings (السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته)," these are three in exchange for the three with which the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam praised his Lord on the Night of Isrā (Mi’raj).” 
 
Allāmah Shaykh Ahmad Al-Tahtāwi Rahimahullah also mentions in “Hāshiyah Al-Tahtāwi ‘Alā Marāqi Al-Fallāh”:
إذا قعد أحدكم في الصلاة فليقل التحيات لله والصلوات والطيبات... وهي الصادرة منه ليلة الإسراء
"When one of you sits in Salah, he should say: التحيات لله والصلوات والطيبات… This (tashahhud) originated from him (i.e. the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) on the Night of Isrā'.[3]
 
2) The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam mentioned in a Hadith:
غَطُّوا الْإِنَاءَ، وَأَوْكُوا السِّقَاءَ، فَإِنَّ فِي السَّنَةِ لَيْلَةً يَنْزِلُ فِيهَا وَبَاءٌ، لَا يَمُرُّ بِإِنَاءٍ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ غِطَاءٌ، أَوْ سِقَاءٍ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ وِكَاءٌ، إِلَّا نَزَلَ فِيهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْوَبَاءِ
“Cover the vessels and tie the waterskin, for there is a night in a year when pestilence descends, and it does not pass an uncovered vessel or an untied waterskin but some of that pestilence descending into it.”[4]
It is also mentioned:
إِذَا كَانَ جُنْحُ اللَّيْلِ، أَوْ أَمْسَيْتُمْ، فَكُفُّوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ تَنْتَشِرُ حِينَئِذٍ، فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ سَاعَةٌ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَحُلُّوهُمْ، فَأَغْلِقُوا الأَبْوَابَ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لاَ يَفْتَحُ بَابًا مُغْلَقًا، وَأَوْكُوا قِرَبَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ، وَخَمِّرُوا آنِيَتَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ، وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعْرُضُوا عَلَيْهَا شَيْئًا، وَأَطْفِئُوا مَصَابِيحَكُمْ
“When the wings of the night (spread) or it is night, restrain your children (from going out), for the Satan is abroad at that time, and when a part of the night is passed, free them and shut the doors, making mention of God's name, for the Satan does not open a closed door; and tighten the (mouths of waterskins and mention the name of Allah, cover your utensils and mention the name of Allah even if you just put something on them, and extinguish your lamps.”[5]
Mulla Ali Qāri Rahimahullah mentions in “Mirqāt-ul-Mafātīh”, the commentary on “Mishkāt-ul-Masābīh”, that the point is to stop the Shaytaan from entering into the vessel/bowl and spreading any kind of illness within it.[6]
If the container is accidently left open the entire night, you may eat it if you believe it will cause no harm. However, in the future, one must make full effort to cover the container before the night commences.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
AbdulMannan Nizami
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, IL, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net