THE SUBHAH

The subhah is an object formed of threaded grains that one slides between/through one's fingers while reciting the Tasbihaat/Zikrs. In our country it is better known as "Tasbih". Is it permissible to use the subhah for zikr? Some will surely wonder if this question deserves to be asked or not. In any case, the Imam of a mosque has described the use of the subhah as an imitation of the "ghair-qaum". We have therefore deemed it necessary to dispel any confusion on this subject.

It should be noted that the Imam in question has so far not found it appropriate to draw the attention of Muslims to a number of serious omissions, for example, issues such as shaving the beard or wearing trousers below the ankles, among others. However, there are indeed authentic Ahaadith that condemn these practices.

Concerning wearing trousers below the ankles, Nabi‎‎-e-Kareem (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"The part that is below the ankles will be in Hell."

Concerning the beard, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"Do the opposite of what the mushrikeen do, let the beard grow and trim the moustache."

Nowadays, it is unfortunate to note that some Imams have become emulators of politicians. They speak according to the desires and tendencies of the public. This prevents them from addressing the seriousness of shaving the beard or wearing trousers below the ankles. In general, the public does not appreciate discussing these issues because many are guilty of these sins.

The use of Tasbih is considered archaic by the “modernists”—a term favoured by those who have become Europeanized without realizing it. The modernists are allergic to the use of Tasbih; they fear appearing too orthodox. Therefore, to appease the modernists, it was deemed acceptable to criticize Tasbih—even though it was used by the Salaf-e-Saaliheen.

Instead of regarding the use of Tasbih as an imitation of the “ghair qaum”, the Imam should have examined his own dress, which is merely an exact copy of that of the kaafirs—that is, the shirt and trousers! When will the Imam abandon this attire and then have the courage to call it an imitation of the ghair-qaum? May Allah grant us all the taufiq to retract our mistakes when we recognize them or when someone points out our faults. Without a doubt, this is a very good quality that every Muslim, worthy of that name, must adopt and cultivate.

It should be known that there is no hadith that prohibits the use of the Tasbeeh or calls it an imitation of the ghair-qaum.

In a hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, it is reported that once Hazrat Sa‘d Bin Abi Waqqaas (Radiyallahu anhu) accompanied Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) to a Sahabiyyah (Radiyallahu anha) who had date stones and pebbles in front of her and she was counting her Tasbihaat with them. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) said to her:

“Do you not want me to show you something that is easier (or, as he said, ‘better’) than this…?”

According to a hadith of Tirmizi, Hazrat Safiyyah (Radiyallahu anha) reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) came to her while she had 4,000 grains with which she was counting her Tasbihaat in front of her. Nabi-e-Karim (Sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) asked her:

"Have you completed the Tasbihaat with this? Do you not want me to show you something that is better than what you have done as Tasbihaat?"

Commenting on the two aforementioned Ahaadith in his book Nail-ul-Autaar, Allaamah Shawkaani (Rahimahullah) said:

"These two Ahaadith prove that it is permissible to count Tasbihaat by means of the grains and the pebbles and similarly with the subhah (threaded grains) since there is no difference between the loose grains and the threaded ones. This is because of the approval of the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) to these two ladies and due to him not raising any objection. The fact of giving what is better does not contradict the permissibility. Indeed, there are reports that mention permissibility."

According to a narration of Abu Dawud, it is said that Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu anhu) had a bag filled with grains or pebbles which he used to count the Tasbeehaat. According to a hadith mentioned in Nail-ul-Autaar, it is said that Hazrat Abu Safiyyah (Radiyallahu anhu) had a bag filled with pebbles with which he made the Tasbeeh (zikr).

According to a narration reported by Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah and Ibn Saad, it is mentioned that Hazrat Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqaas (Radiyallahu anhu) used pebbles to make Tasbeeh.

According to the Tabaqaat of Ibn Sa'd, Hazrat Faatimah Bint Hussein (Radiyallahu anha) had a string with knots with which she used to make Tasbeeh.

In Nail-ul-Autaar there is a narration that mentions that Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu anhu) had a string with a thousand knots and that he would not go to bed until he had completed the thousand Tasbeehs that he counted from these knots. According to another narration of Nail-ul-Autaar, it is said that Hazrat Abu Darda (Radiyallahu anhu) had a bag full of grains with which he used to make his Tasbeeh.

Allaamah‎‎ Jalaaluddeen-As-Suyuti (Rahimahullah), a famous and eminent scholar of the tenth century Hijri‎ said:

"There is no prohibition that has been reported by the scholars before (predecessors) and after (successors) regarding the use of the subhah (Tasbih‎‎) to count the Tasbihaat. On the contrary, the majority of them used it. They did not consider it as Makruh." (Nail-ul-Autaar)

Thus, we see that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) never prohibited the use of the subhah nor did he consider it an imitation of the ghair-qaum. As Allaamah Suyuti (Rahimahullah) has said, there is no one among the scholars who has prohibited it.

Where did the Imam draw from to qualify the Tasbeeh as an imitation of the ghair-qaum? It is now up to the Muslim public to draw their conclusions. We would like to remind you that retracting for one's mistakes is a very good quality for the one who fears his Creator.

May Allah guide us to the Straight Path and protect us from fitnah and other machinations of Shaytaan. Ameen.

[English version of "Le soub'hah" – Al Haadi – Vol. 3 No. 1]