In this letter, he asks: Is the misbaha a means of remembering Allah the Mighty and Majestic, or is it not?
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The questioner : In this letter, he asks: Is the misbaha a means of remembering Allah the Mighty and Majestic, or is it not?
The Shaykh : A person should not use the misbaha as a means to keep count of the tasbih he says, or the tahlil, or the takbir. Rather, what he should do is perform his takbir, tasbih, and tahlil with his fingers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And because using the misbaha involves harms:
Among these harms is deviating from the Sunnah. Another is that there may be showing off (riya') when people see him reciting with his misbaha. And another is that the one who recites with the misbaha lets his heart wander in imagination and intrusive thoughts, while all he is doing is counting these beads or these grains.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Thus, he becomes one who is remembering while being heedless. As for counting on the fingers, it is closer to the presence of the heart, and the spirit and essence of remembrance is that the heart of the one remembering is present. For this reason, we see that although using the misbaha for tasbih is permissible, it is not recommended to use it. Rather, the better and more preferable thing is to recite tasbih with his fingers.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : A person should not use the misbaha as a means to keep count of the tasbih he says, or the tahlil, or the takbir. Rather, what he should do is perform his takbir, tasbih, and tahlil with his fingers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Tie them with your fingers, for they are the ones that will be questioned.
اعقدن بالأنامل فإنهن مستنطقاتAmong these harms is deviating from the Sunnah. Another is that there may be showing off (riya') when people see him reciting with his misbaha. And another is that the one who recites with the misbaha lets his heart wander in imagination and intrusive thoughts, while all he is doing is counting these beads or these grains.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Thus, he becomes one who is remembering while being heedless. As for counting on the fingers, it is closer to the presence of the heart, and the spirit and essence of remembrance is that the heart of the one remembering is present. For this reason, we see that although using the misbaha for tasbih is permissible, it is not recommended to use it. Rather, the better and more preferable thing is to recite tasbih with his fingers.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.