We said that what is forbidden for a reason other than itself is permissible out of need; is the misbaha (prayer beads) of this category?
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The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is not a means of drawing near to Allah in itself requires evidence.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And what is not a means of drawing near to Allah...
The Shaykh : And what is a means.
The questioner : And what is a means to something else takes the ruling of that other thing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is this like the misbaha (prayer beads)?
The Shaykh : The misbaha (prayer beads)?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : ... Which is more preferable, the misbaha (prayer beads) or the fingers?
The questioner : It is without doubt that the fingers are the Sunnah (recommended practice) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Never forget this; it makes him more precise and his heart more present, meaning he counts the tens, the hundreds, and the thousands. As we have just seen, those who use the misbaha (prayer beads) are found reciting while their eyes wander left and right, relying on these beads, and their heart is not present. If a person is very forgetful and he prays and places a date, a bead, or a pebble on his right or left, intending to throw one for every rak'ah (unit of prayer) he completes, is this permissible or not permissible?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, although if it were not for the fact that he wants to remind himself, this would be a disliked waste of time. There are many examples of this. Salim.
The questioner : May Allah be pleased with you, meaning the misbaha (prayer beads) is not permissible?
The Shaykh : We do not say it is not permissible, man. There is a stage between permissibility and recommendation. We say counting with the fingers is more preferable, and we mentioned three reasons for this, perhaps you remember them?
The student: No, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, go back to the tape, Salim?
The questioner : What is not a means of drawing near to Allah in itself requires evidence.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And what is not a means of drawing near to Allah...
The Shaykh : And what is a means.
The questioner : And what is a means to something else takes the ruling of that other thing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is this like the misbaha (prayer beads)?
The Shaykh : The misbaha (prayer beads)?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : ... Which is more preferable, the misbaha (prayer beads) or the fingers?
The questioner : It is without doubt that the fingers are the Sunnah (recommended practice) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Never forget this; it makes him more precise and his heart more present, meaning he counts the tens, the hundreds, and the thousands. As we have just seen, those who use the misbaha (prayer beads) are found reciting while their eyes wander left and right, relying on these beads, and their heart is not present. If a person is very forgetful and he prays and places a date, a bead, or a pebble on his right or left, intending to throw one for every rak'ah (unit of prayer) he completes, is this permissible or not permissible?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible, although if it were not for the fact that he wants to remind himself, this would be a disliked waste of time. There are many examples of this. Salim.
The questioner : May Allah be pleased with you, meaning the misbaha (prayer beads) is not permissible?
The Shaykh : We do not say it is not permissible, man. There is a stage between permissibility and recommendation. We say counting with the fingers is more preferable, and we mentioned three reasons for this, perhaps you remember them?
The student: No, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, go back to the tape, Salim?