What is the ruling on using prayer beads for dhikr or for amusement?
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The questioner : Our question, O Shaykh, is about the ruling on using prayer beads for amusement.
The Shaykh : Using prayer beads for dhikr is permissible, but it is better to use the fingers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He was addressing the women Do you understand?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, so using the fingers is better. Using prayer beads is permissible, but as you can see, there is a problem with prayer beads. First, some people show off with them. How many beads do they buy?
The student: One hundred.
The Shaykh : No, a hundred or a thousand; some buy up to a thousand, then they hang it around their neck as if to say to people, "Look, I am reciting dhikr a thousand times." This is a type of showing off.
Second, the person who recites dhikr with prayer beads is usually heedless. That is why we see them counting these beads while looking to the right and left, with those who are going and those who are coming. Therefore, we see that using prayer beads is permissible, but using the fingers is better.
The questioner : For amusement.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : For amusement in gatherings.
The Shaykh : No, there is nothing wrong with it for amusement. There is nothing wrong with it; we see nothing wrong with it. Just as some people sometimes amuse themselves when they have a shawl with what we call the tassels, you find them playing with these tassels, and there is nothing wrong with that. Yes, but note that for some people, it may be contrary to dignity. For example, if we found a noble, knowledgeable man taking the prayer beads in gatherings, sitting and playing with them like this and that, criticizing, yes. Yasar.
The Shaykh : Using prayer beads for dhikr is permissible, but it is better to use the fingers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Count with your fingers
اعقدن بالأصابعFor they are the ones that will be questioned
فإنهن مستنطقاتThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, so using the fingers is better. Using prayer beads is permissible, but as you can see, there is a problem with prayer beads. First, some people show off with them. How many beads do they buy?
The student: One hundred.
The Shaykh : No, a hundred or a thousand; some buy up to a thousand, then they hang it around their neck as if to say to people, "Look, I am reciting dhikr a thousand times." This is a type of showing off.
Second, the person who recites dhikr with prayer beads is usually heedless. That is why we see them counting these beads while looking to the right and left, with those who are going and those who are coming. Therefore, we see that using prayer beads is permissible, but using the fingers is better.
The questioner : For amusement.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : For amusement in gatherings.
The Shaykh : No, there is nothing wrong with it for amusement. There is nothing wrong with it; we see nothing wrong with it. Just as some people sometimes amuse themselves when they have a shawl with what we call the tassels, you find them playing with these tassels, and there is nothing wrong with that. Yes, but note that for some people, it may be contrary to dignity. For example, if we found a noble, knowledgeable man taking the prayer beads in gatherings, sitting and playing with them like this and that, criticizing, yes. Yasar.