The Correct Method of Tasbih
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Question:
We return at the beginning of this episode to a letter from one of our female listeners in Libya, which she concluded by saying: Your daughter, 'Azah Bun Khaylah. We presented some of Sister 'Azah's questions in a previous episode, and in this episode she has a somewhat lengthy question about tasbih. She asks your Eminence—may Allah reward you with good—to inform her of the correct method of tasbih, especially if it is done with a misbaha (prayer beads). May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. As for what follows:
Tasbih is among the best of the acts of drawing near to Allah, and it is part of the dhikr (remembrance) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged and to which the Book of Allah points. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says in His great Book: [Ar-Rum: 17]. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-Ahzab: 41-42]. There are many verses in this meaning.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in an authentic hadith:Sunan Ibn Majah 3806Sahih (Darussalam) And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2137a, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 924Hasan (Darussalam). There are many hadiths in this regard indicating the virtue of tasbih and dhikr.
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the poor who complained to him. They said: O Messenger of Allah, the people of wealth have taken away the rewards. They pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth from which they give charity, while we do not give charity—we have no money—and they free slaves while we do not free slaves. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1349Sahih (Darussalam) This is a great virtue. It is recommended for the believing man and woman, after the prayer, to glorify Allah, praise Him, and magnify Him thirty-three times each.
In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: This is a great virtue.
Therefore, the believing man and woman should take care of this matter after every prayer: Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. First, when he says the taslim, he says: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah," three times. Then: "O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor." He says this after every prayer, whether man or woman, in Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. When he says the taslim, he says: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah. O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor." This applies to the imam and the one praying alone, and to the ma'mum (one praying behind the imam). When the imam finishes, he turns to the people, giving them his face, after saying: "O Allah, You are Peace..." and so on.
Then everyone says after this: "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. His is the grace, and His is the favor, and His is the good praise. There is no god but Allah, sincere to Him in our religion, even if the disbelievers should be displeased. O Allah, there is no one who can prevent what You have given, and there is no one who can give what You have withheld, and no possessor of wealth can benefit or harm You with his wealth."
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this after every one of the five prayers. So the Sunnah is for the believer to say it this way, and the believing woman likewise. Then he comes to the tasbih, tahmid, and takbir, thirty-three times each: Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), thirty-three times each. He counts them with his fingers so that he keeps track of them: Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar, thirty-three times each. Then he completes the hundred by saying: "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things."
So I advise every Muslim man and woman to maintain this, this dhikr after every prayer.
He counts them with his fingers, not with a misbaha (prayer beads), with his fingers. This is the best, what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions did with their fingers. The misbaha is permissible at home, and in some cases, but counting with the fingers is better.
And so the man in the mosques counts with his fingers, not with a misbaha. This is the best, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions.
It is also recommended after this to recite Ayat al-Kursi (the Verse of the Throne) after every prayer:[Al-Baqarah 2:255] to its end. The end of it is: [Al-Baqarah: 255]. This is the end of it, this is the end of the verse.
It is also recommended to recite[Al-Ikhlas 112:1] and the two Mu'awwidhat (chapters of protection) after every prayer: [Al-Ikhlas 112:1] [Al-Falaq 113:1] [An-Nas 114:1]. He recites these three chapters after every prayer, and repeats them three times after Maghrib, after Fajr, and when going to sleep. These three chapters are repeated three times after Fajr, after Maghrib, and when going to sleep.
There is no harm in using a misbaha. A woman or a man can use it at home. He can use it with pebbles, or with the known misbaha, or with seeds. There is no harm, or with knots in a string that he ties. There is no harm. But using the fingers is better and more preferable, especially in the mosques. The Sunnah is that the fingers are what is used. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. Those who use the misbaha do so, as they say, for keeping count, no more and no less. What is your guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: One can keep count with the fingers. He keeps count with his fingers. This is the best. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
We return at the beginning of this episode to a letter from one of our female listeners in Libya, which she concluded by saying: Your daughter, 'Azah Bun Khaylah. We presented some of Sister 'Azah's questions in a previous episode, and in this episode she has a somewhat lengthy question about tasbih. She asks your Eminence—may Allah reward you with good—to inform her of the correct method of tasbih, especially if it is done with a misbaha (prayer beads). May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. As for what follows:
Tasbih is among the best of the acts of drawing near to Allah, and it is part of the dhikr (remembrance) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged and to which the Book of Allah points. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says in His great Book:
So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.
فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ(41) O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance (42) And exalt Him morning and afternoon.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًاThe Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in an authentic hadith:
Two words which are light on the tongue and heavy in the Balance, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhan-Allah wa bi hamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-'Azim (Glory and praise is to Allah, glory is to Allah the Almighty).
كلمتان خفيفتان على اللسان، ثقيلتان في الميزان، حبيبتان إلى الرحمن: سبحان الله وبحمده، سبحان الله العظيمThe dearest phrases to Allah are four: Subhan Allah (Hallowed be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La ilaha illa-Allah (There is no deity but Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greater).
أحب الكلام إلى الله أربع: سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبرSubhanAllah, wal-hamdulilah, wa la illaha ill-Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa Billahil-aliy al-azim (Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is none worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah the Exalted and Magnificent )
الباقيات الصالحات: سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا باللهThe Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the poor who complained to him. They said: O Messenger of Allah, the people of wealth have taken away the rewards. They pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth from which they give charity, while we do not give charity—we have no money—and they free slaves while we do not free slaves. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Shall I inform you of something by which you will catch up with those who went before you, and you will surpass those who come after you, and no one will be better than you except one who does what you do?
ألا أدلكم على شيء تدركون به من سبقكم، وتسبقون من بعدكم، ولا يكون أحد أفضل منكم إلا من فعل مثلما فعلتم؟Glorifying Allah (SWT) thirty-three times following each prayer, and praising Him thirty-three times, and magnifying Him thirty-four times
تسبحون، وتحمدون، وتكبرون دبر كل صلاة ثلاثًا وثلاثينIn Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Whoever glorifies Allah thirty-three times after every prayer, praises Allah thirty-three times, and magnifies Allah thirty-three times, that makes ninety-nine. Then he completes the hundred by saying: "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things." His sins will be forgiven, even if they were like the foam of the sea.
من سبح الله دبر كل صلاة ثلاثًا وثلاثين، وحمد الله ثلاثًا وثلاثين، وكبر الله ثلاثًا وثلاثين، فتلك تسع وتسعون، ثم قال تمام المائة: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك، وله الحمد، وهو على كل شيء قدير؛ غفرت خطاياه، وإن كانت مثل زبد البحرTherefore, the believing man and woman should take care of this matter after every prayer: Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. First, when he says the taslim, he says: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah," three times. Then: "O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor." He says this after every prayer, whether man or woman, in Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. When he says the taslim, he says: "I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah. O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor." This applies to the imam and the one praying alone, and to the ma'mum (one praying behind the imam). When the imam finishes, he turns to the people, giving them his face, after saying: "O Allah, You are Peace..." and so on.
Then everyone says after this: "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. His is the grace, and His is the favor, and His is the good praise. There is no god but Allah, sincere to Him in our religion, even if the disbelievers should be displeased. O Allah, there is no one who can prevent what You have given, and there is no one who can give what You have withheld, and no possessor of wealth can benefit or harm You with his wealth."
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this after every one of the five prayers. So the Sunnah is for the believer to say it this way, and the believing woman likewise. Then he comes to the tasbih, tahmid, and takbir, thirty-three times each: Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), thirty-three times each. He counts them with his fingers so that he keeps track of them: Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar, thirty-three times each. Then he completes the hundred by saying: "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the dominion, and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things."
So I advise every Muslim man and woman to maintain this, this dhikr after every prayer.
He counts them with his fingers, not with a misbaha (prayer beads), with his fingers. This is the best, what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions did with their fingers. The misbaha is permissible at home, and in some cases, but counting with the fingers is better.
And so the man in the mosques counts with his fingers, not with a misbaha. This is the best, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions.
It is also recommended after this to recite Ayat al-Kursi (the Verse of the Throne) after every prayer:
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence
اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ..and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
وَلا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُIt is also recommended to recite
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدSay, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدSay, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak
قل أعوذ برب الفلقSay, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
قل أعوذ برب الناسThere is no harm in using a misbaha. A woman or a man can use it at home. He can use it with pebbles, or with the known misbaha, or with seeds. There is no harm, or with knots in a string that he ties. There is no harm. But using the fingers is better and more preferable, especially in the mosques. The Sunnah is that the fingers are what is used. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. Those who use the misbaha do so, as they say, for keeping count, no more and no less. What is your guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: One can keep count with the fingers. He keeps count with his fingers. This is the best. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.