Salam aleikum wa rahmatu Llahi wa barakatu.I have 2 questions:1 in tv there are a lot of programs which say send a message and you can win money, house or car. Is it halal to play?2 I read in salah there are a lot of types of tashahud, which is the closest to sunna?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. {C}

It is not permissible to participate in this competition, because the subscriber loses the price of the message in the hope that he will win the promised prize, whereas he may or may not win it. This way, he loses the price that he paid for the messages, and this is exactly what gambling is.

An-Nawawi said in his book Al-Majmoo’: "Gambling is when the participant might win or lose." [End of quote]

It is known that gambling is forbidden as Allah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.} [Quran 5:90]

As for the different wordings of the Tashahhud in the prayer, there are several versions that are mentioned in the Sunnah. The worshiper may say any version of Tashahhud and this would be sufficient for him. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said: "All the versions (of Tashahhud) that are proven from the Prophet are permissible to be used." [End of quote]

Imaam Ahmad and Abu Haneefah chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by Ibn Mas'ood, as its chain of narrators is more confirmed. Ash-Shaafi'i chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas as it includes a more comprehensive meaning. While, Imaam Maalik chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by 'Umar because he taught it to the people on the pulpit.

Ibn Hubayrah said:

"Abu Haneefah and Ahmad chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by Ibn Mas’ood which includes ten phrases: “Attahiyyaatu lillaahi, was-Salawaatu at-Tayyibaat, assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, as-salaamu `alayna wa `ala ibaadillaahi as-saaliheen. Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh (All Glorification is due to Allah, all prayers and good words are for Allah. May Allaah exalt your mention, O Prophet; mercy and blessings be upon you. Peace be upon us and all of Allah’s righteous slaves. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

Imaam Maalik chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by ‘Umar which is as follows: “Attahiyyaatu lillaahi, az-Zakiyaatu lillaah, at-Tayyibaat as-Salawaatu lillah, assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, as-salaamu `alayna wa `ala ibaadillaahi as-saaliheen. Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa Allah, wahdahu la shareeka lahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh (All Glorification is for Allah; all good deeds are for Allah, all pure words are due to Allah; all prayers are for Allah. May Allaah exalt your mention, O Prophet; mercy and blessings be upon you. Peace be upon us and all of Allah’s righteous slaves. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the One Who has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).

However, Ash-Shaafi’i chose the Tashahhud wording narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas, which is as follows: “Attahiyyaatu almubarakaat, as-Salawaatu at-Tayyibaat lillah, assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, as-salaamu `alayna wa `ala ibaadillaahi as-saaliheen. Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah, allahumma salli ‘ala sayyidina Muhammad (All Blessed Salutations are for Allah; all prayers and good words are for Allah. May Allaah exalt your mention, O Prophet; mercy and blessings be upon you. Peace be upon us and all of Allah’s righteous slaves. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. Blessing be upon our master Muhammad)." [End of quote]

Therefore, it is better if you say one version of Tashahhud sometimes, and at another time you say another version of Tashahhud.

Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said: "With regard to the Tashahhud, if the worshipper says at times the Tashahhud of Ibn Mus’ood, and at other times the Tashahhud of Ibn ‘Abbaas, and at another time the Tashahhud of ‘Umar, then this is good." [End of quote]

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 322516, 371557, and 231700.

Allah knows best.