By Arsalan Haque

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A short but thorough treatise showing the permissibility of using prayer beads.

(Yet it is superior to use one’s fingers, as this was the practice of the Prophet (saw))

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Prophetic Reports

1.  A female Companion from the Emigrants by the name of Yusayra, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Hold fast to tahlīl (saying lā ilāha illallāh), tasbīḥ (saying subḥān Allāh), and taqdīs (saying subḥan al-malik al-quddūs, or subbūḥun quddūs).  Do not fall into heedlessness, or else you shall not be shown Mercy.  And count dhikr using your fingers, for verily they will be questioned and made to speak (on the Day of Judgment).” [i]

This report was declared ṣaḥīḥ by Suyūṭī, Hākim and Dhahabī, and ḥasan by Nawawī and Ibn Ḥajar al-`Asqalānī.

2.  Sa`d b. Abu Waqqāṣ, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that he came with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to a woman who had some seeds or pebbles in front of her that she was using to count tasbīḥ (i.e. dhikr).  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I will tell you something that is easier or better for you than this.  (Say:) Subḥān Allāhi `adada mā khalaqa fī al-samā’i, wa subḥān Allāhi `adada mā khalaqa fī al-arḍi, wa subḥān Allāhi `adada mā bayna dhālika, wa subḥān Allāhi `adada mā huwa khāliq. Then say the same (replacing subḥān Allāh) with Allāhu akbar, then alḥamdulillāh, then lā ilāha illallāh, and finally lā ḥawla walā quwwata illā billāh.” [ii]

This report was declared ṣahīh by Ḥākim, with whom Dhahabī agreed, and ḥasan gharīb by Tirmidhī.

3. Ṣafiyya, may Allah be pleased with her, reported, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me while there lay in front of me 4,000 seeds that I was using to count tasbīḥ (i.e. dhikr).  He said, ‘You were using these for tasbīḥ?  Should I teach you something that amounts to more than your tasbīḥ?’  I replied, ‘Yes!’  He said, ‘Say: Subḥān Allāhi `adada khalqihi.’” [iii]

This report was declared ṣaḥīh by Ṣuyūṭī and Ḥākim, with whom Dhahabī agreed, and ḥasan by Ibn Ḥajar al-`Asqalānī.

Analyzing the Reports [iv]

The first report sanctions the use of one’s fingers for counting dhikr.  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, indicated that the reason for this was because they will be questioned and made to speak, i.e. testify, on the Day of Judgment.  From this perspective, using one’s fingers is superior to using prayer beads or pebbles.

The second and third reports, however, show that it is permissible to use seeds and pebbles to count one’s dhikr.  The same would apply to prayer beads by analogy, because there is no significant difference [fāriq] between them.  Their use is permissible because of the Prophet’s tacit approval of the women in both reports, and the fact that he did not censure them for what they were doing.  As for the fact that he pointed out something that was superior, doing so does not negate the permissibility of what they were doing.

Practice of the Companions [v]

There are a number of reports that show that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to count dhikr using pebbles.  The following are some of them:

• Abu Ṣafiyya, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a leather mat used to be laid down for him, and a bag would be brought containing pebbles that he would use for counting tasbīḥ (i.e. dhikr) until midday.  He would then get up to perform ṣalāh, and then (continue to) perform tasbīḥ until the evening.

• Yūnus b. `Ubayd reported that his mother said, “I saw Abu Ṣafiyya, one of the companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who was in charge of the state treasury.  He used to count tasbīḥ using pebbles.”

• Ḥakīm b. Daylam reported that Sa`d b. Abū Waqqās, may Allah be pleased with him, used to count tasbīḥ using pebbles.

• Jābir b. `Abdullāh reported that a woman who used to serve him said that Fāṭima, the daughter of Ḥusayn b. `Alī b. Abū Ṭālib, may Allah be pleased with them, used to count tasbīḥ on a knotted string.

• `Abdullāh b. Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal reported that Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, used to have a string that had 1,000 knots.  He would not go to sleep until he had performed tasbīḥ (using it).

• Qāsim b. `Abd al-Raḥmān reported that Abū al-Dardā’, may Allah be pleased with him, used to have date-seeds in a bag.  After offering the dawn ṣalah, he would take them out one by one, saying tasbīḥ (i.e. dhikr) until they finished.

• Ibn Sa`d reported that Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, used to count tasbīḥ using a collection of seeds.

• `Alī b. Abū Ṭālib, may Allah ennoble his countenance, was reported to say, “What a good reminder are prayer beads.”

Testimonies of Various Scholars

• Imām Ṣuyūṭī said, “Not a single person from the early community [salaf] or the later community [khalaf] was reported to have prohibited the use of prayer beads for counting dhikr.  In fact, most of them used them, and did not consider it offensive [makrūh] to do so.” [vi]

• Imām Ibn Taymiyya said, “It is sunnah to count dhikr using one’s fingers.  The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to some women, ‘Count tasbīḥ using your fingers, for verily they will be questioned and made to speak (on the Day of Judgment).’  As for counting dhikr using seeds, pebbles, and their like, it is (also) good [ḥasan].  Some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to do this.  Once, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw the Mother of the Believers counting dhikr using pebbles, and approved of it.  Abū Hurayra is related to have used them as well.  As for counting dhikr using a string of beads, or something similar to it, some people hold it to be offensive [makrūh], while others do not.  If it is done with a good intention, then it is something good [ḥasan] and not offensive.  However, to use it when there is no need, and make it a show for people by hanging it around the neck, or wearing it like a bracelet around the wrist, and so on, is either outright ostentation or resembles those who are ostentatious.  The first case is unlawful, and the second is offensive at the very least.” [vii]

• The Permanent Committee headed by Shaykh `Abdul `Azīz b. `Abdullāh b. Bāz stated in one of its legal opinions [fatāwā], “Counting tasbīḥ using prayer beads is permissible, because there is no evidence for its prohibition.  There is no difference in this regard between (adhkār performed) after ṣalāh and (those performed at) other times.  However, counting with one’s fingers is better, because that was the practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” [viii]

• Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-`Uthaymīn said, “The use of prayer beads is not a reprehensible innovation in religion [bid`ah dīniyya].  That is because the person who uses it does not do so with the intent of devotion, but simply to keep an accurate count of tasbīḥ, tahlīl, taḥmīd (saying alḥamdulillāh) or takbīr (saying Allāhu akbar) that he is reciting.  So it is a means, and not an end in itself.  It is better, however, for the person to count tasbīḥ using his fingers …” [ix]

The Opposing View

Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī said, “Prayer beads are an innovation [bid`ah].  They did not exist during the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, but invented later … They contravene the Prophetic guidance, as `Abdullah b. `Amr said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, use his right hand to count dhikr.’ [x] … They also contravene the Prophetic command, as he said to one of his wives, ‘Count tasbīḥ using your fingers, for verily they will be questioned and made to speak (on the Day of Judgment).’ [xi] … If there was only one evil in prayer beads, it would suffice: namely that they have totally – or almost – replaced the sunnah of counting with one’s fingers, which is superior by their own agreement …” [xii]

He also said after citing the reports about counting dhikr using one’s fingers, “This is the sunnah for counting those adhkār whose count is sanctioned by Sacred Law – to count them on one’s hand, and only the right hand.  Counting on one’s left hand, or both hands, or pebbles, all of that is against the Prophetic way [sunnah].  There is nothing authentically reported about the use of pebbles to count dhikr, let alone prayer beads.” [xiii]

Conclusion

Shaykh Albānī’s opinion notwithstanding, the majority of Muslim scholars deem the use of prayer beads as permissible.  Yet it is superior to use one’s fingers, as this was the practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, especially when counting smaller iterations, such as the following after each obligatory prayer:

• Subḥān Allāh, 33 times;

• Alḥamdulillāh, 33 times;

• Allāhu Akbar, 33 times; and

• Lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lahū, lahul mulku wa lahul ḩamdu wahuwa `alā kulli shay’in qadīr, once.

As for larger iterations that are difficult to count using one’s fingers, such as the adhkār mentioned in the reports below, one may rely on prayer beads to ensure accuracy:

• Abū Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever says subḥān Allāhi wa biḥamdihī one hundred times in the morning and evening will not be outdone by anyone on the Day of Judgment, except someone who says it an equal number of times or more.” [xiv]

• Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever says lā ilāha illalllāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahū, lahul mulku walhul h̄amdu wa huwa `alā kulli shay’in qadīr one hundred times in a day will have the reward of freeing ten slaves; one hundred good deeds will be written in his record; one hundred bad deeds will be erased from his record; it will be a protection for him from Satan for the rest of the day until the evening; and he will not be outdone by anyone except someone who says (the same dhikr) more times.” [xv]

• Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times in a day.” [xvi]

• al-Aghar al-Muzanī, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Verily I seek forgiveness from Allah one hundred times in a day.” [xvii]

Finally, if one chooses to follow the opinion that deems the use prayer beads as forbidden, one is free to do so.  However, it is not permissible to condemn others who wish to make use of prayer beads, as the legal axiom states – It is not permissible to censure an act about which there is legitimate disagreement amongst Muslim scholars.

And Allah most certainly knows best.

[ii] Related by Abū Dawūd in his Sunan, Tirmidhī in his Sunan, al-Nasā’ī in his `Amal al-Yawmi wa al-Layla, Ibn Māja in his Sunan, Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ, and Ḥākim in his Mustadrak.

[iii] Related by Tirmidhī in his Sunan, and Ḥākim in his Mustadrak.

[iv] Shawkānī, Nayl al-Awṭ̣ār, 4:115.

[v] Ibid., 4:115-116.

[vi] Ibid., 4:116.

[vii] Ibn Taymiyya, Majmū` al-Fatāwā, 22:506

[viii] Fatāwā al-Lajna al-Dā’ima, 24:269

[ix] Ibn `Uthaymīn, Majmū` Fatāwā wa Rasā’il Ibn `Uthaymīn, 13:173

[x] Related by Abū Dāwūd and Tirmidhī in their Sunans, Ibn Ḥibbān in his Saḥīḥ, and Ḥākim in his Mustadrak; it was declared ḥasan by Tirmidhī, and ṣaḥīḥ by Dhahabī

[xi] See note i above

[xii] Albānī, Silsila al-Aḥādīth al-Da`īfa, 1:83

[xiii] Ibid., 3:1

[xiv] Related by Bukhārī in his Saḥīḥ

[xv] Related by Bukhārī and Muslim in their Saḥīḥs

[xvi] Related by Bukhārī in his Saḥīḥ

[xvii] Related by Muslim in his Saḥīḥ