Tasbih with the Right Hand and the Misbaha
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The questioner:
Suddenly shirk, the ring, and the misbaha. Is tasbih with the misbaha only, or with something else? And what is the evidence?
The Shaykh:
It is permissible to do tasbih with both hands, and it is permissible with the right hand only. Some scholars hold, especially in this time, that tasbih should be done with the right hand because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to count his tasbih with his right hand. However, this does not indicate that tasbih with the left hand is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged tasbih with the fingers, saying that they will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection. So, there is no harm in doing tasbih with both hands. If one does tasbih with the right hand only, that may be better; that may be better. Yes.
Another questioner:
Do you do tasbih with the misbaha?
The Shaykh:
There is a distinction regarding tasbih with the misbaha. If one believes that the misbaha has a special virtue, this is not permissible; it has no such virtue. This is only among the Sufis, and it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). However, if one believes that the misbaha has no special virtue and uses it merely as a permissible means to help with counting, then there is no harm; it is permissible. But counting with the fingers is better than using the misbaha. Is counting with the fingers better than the misbaha? It is permissible to do tasbih with pebbles, and it is permissible to do tasbih with the misbaha, but the fingers are better. If one believes that the misbaha has a special virtue, that is a bid'ah.
Suddenly shirk, the ring, and the misbaha. Is tasbih with the misbaha only, or with something else? And what is the evidence?
The Shaykh:
It is permissible to do tasbih with both hands, and it is permissible with the right hand only. Some scholars hold, especially in this time, that tasbih should be done with the right hand because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to count his tasbih with his right hand. However, this does not indicate that tasbih with the left hand is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged tasbih with the fingers, saying that they will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection. So, there is no harm in doing tasbih with both hands. If one does tasbih with the right hand only, that may be better; that may be better. Yes.
Another questioner:
Do you do tasbih with the misbaha?
The Shaykh:
There is a distinction regarding tasbih with the misbaha. If one believes that the misbaha has a special virtue, this is not permissible; it has no such virtue. This is only among the Sufis, and it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). However, if one believes that the misbaha has no special virtue and uses it merely as a permissible means to help with counting, then there is no harm; it is permissible. But counting with the fingers is better than using the misbaha. Is counting with the fingers better than the misbaha? It is permissible to do tasbih with pebbles, and it is permissible to do tasbih with the misbaha, but the fingers are better. If one believes that the misbaha has a special virtue, that is a bid'ah.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع باب المياه - 4 — islamhouse.com (24:40)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.