Question Summary:
Method of doing Ishārah in Salāh

Question Detail:

What is the hadith for pointing index finger during Tashahudd whilst in salah 
i read a hadith saying that you should point througout the whole of tashahudd, is it ok if i do this in salah even though my madhab (hanafi) differs? 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
According to the Hanafī school of thought, it is Sunnah to point with the index finger whilst in Tashuhhud. The correct method is to lift the index finger when reciting أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ and to drop the finger upon reciting إِلَّا اللَّهُ.[1] Consider the following Hadīth related by Imām Tirmidhī Rahimahullā:
عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي وَقَدْ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ اليُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ اليُسْرَى، وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ اليُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ اليُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ أَصَابِعَهُ وَبَسَطَ السَّبَّابَةَ (سنن الترمذي، ج 6، ص 182، الرسالة العالمية) 
One Sahābī Radhiyallāhu Anhu says,” I came to Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallm while he was performing Salāh.  His left hand was placed on his left thigh and his right hand was placed on his right thigh. His fingers were clutched while his index finger was spread out.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Through this Hadīth, one can understand that Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam had dropped his index finger after having lifted it in Tashahhud. 
It is necessary for one to adhere to Taqlīd and follow one school of thought. The Fuqahā were thoroughly versed in Qurān and Hadīth and their schools were codified accordingly. There are various harms that may affect one’s Dīn by picking and selecting laws of Jurisprudence. Nafs (inner-self) is our open enemy. It may lead us to follow that ruling that best suits our desires and preferences. If one does not stick to one school of thought and chooses rulings depending on his personal situation, then he will not be following any one of the schools, rather he will be following a fifth Madhab (his nafs) made up by his nafs.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.