This Islamic ruling is based on authentic hadith and the understanding of Islamic scholars. Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ where to keep the gaze during prayer. The Prophet ﷺ replied that one should look at the place of sajdah. Another hadith from Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه states that the Prophet ﷺ would keep his gaze on his index finger while pointing to it.

Based on these narrations, the fuqaha explain in this fatwa that looking at the place of sajdah throughout the entire prayer is Sunnah. However, during tashahud, when the worshipper raises and points the index finger, it is Sunnah to look at that finger instead. This is the established Islamic ruling in Shafi fiqh.