Tasbih with the hand is better than the misbaha

His second question is about the misbaha (prayer beads); is it a religious innovation or a recommended practice?
Answer: It is better to leave the misbaha aside. Wearing it constantly on one’s hand is feared to be a form of showing off (riya’). This was not the custom of the Salaf (the earliest generations). For this reason, some scholars said that it is a religious innovation, while other scholars said there is no harm in it. However, it should be kept at home, not displayed to people, and not made a habit of showing off to people. If one counts their tasbih (remembrance of Allah) with the misbaha, pebbles, or date pits, there is nothing wrong with it. But the fingers are better. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to count with his fingers. One should count with the fingers; this is better for you than the misbaha, pebbles, date pits, or anything else. A group of the righteous Salaf used to count with pebbles and date pits, so there is no harm in that. The misbaha is similar to pebbles and date pits, but making it a habit and keeping it constantly in your hand resembles showing off. It is not the custom of the Salaf or the righteous to do so; rather, they did so in their homes and at their prayer places. If you keep it at your prayer place, or use some date pits or pebbles to count with, there is nothing wrong with it. But leaving this aside is better, and counting with your fingers is the best. This is because the fingers are accountable and will testify, as came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in what Abu Dawud and others narrated: with the fingers, meaning with the fingers. He used to count with his fingers. This is the best, and this is the recommended practice (sunnah). May Allah guide them all. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen.