Misbaha: Difference between revisions

'''Misbaḥa''' (Arabic: مسبحة), or '''Subḥa''' (Arabic: سبحة), or '''prayer beads''' is a string of beads made of materials such as wood and stone. Prayer beads was being used as a tool for counting numbers, recites, etc. Over time and by development of societies, usage of prayer beads as a tool became less and it gained a more religious characteristics. In many religions a form of prayer beads is used for counting recites.

[[Shi'a]] believes that, [[Lady Fatima (a)]] was the first one to use ''misbaha'' in [[Islam]]. Among Shi'a, following lady Fatima (a), ''misbaha'' has a great spiritual value when made from [[Turba of Imam Husayn (a)|turba of Imam Husayn (a)]]. Reciting the [[tasbih of Lady Fatima (a)]] after prayer and [[istikhara]] are two of its applications.

"Misbaha" is made in many forms and is one of souvenirs of [[holy places]].

Prayer beads is first used in Asia, but it's not clear which nation was the first to made it. Prayer beads was being used in many of old civilizations for counting numbers, days, etc. For example, in [[China]] strings with different knots on it, of which numbers and distance have meanings, had been used. In central Africa, women counted months of their pregnancy with knots on a string.

In many of old societies like [[Greece]], [[Rome]], [[Egypt]], and [[India]], prayer beads was being used in celebrations and rituals, or as an amulet, or for augury, or decoration, or as a sign for a special level. Over time, application of prayer beads as a tool became less and it gained a religious characteristic and its usage became limited to religious applications.

Application of prayer beads has been common in all of religions more or less. The oldest document related to the usage of prayer beads, is Hindu literature which points out prevalence of using prayer beads among Hindu priests. In Buddha philosophy, every Buddhist, by having a prayer beads in his hand, as a part of a whole, and as a bead beside other beads, makes a string which connects them to Buddha.

Jews take a prayer beads, with 32 or 99 beads in Saturday (Shabbat).

Some believe that ''misbaha'' (prayer beads) entered [[Islam]] from Indian Buddhists. Some other, believe that ''misbaha'' came to Islam from Christians.

Counting [[supplication]] and [[dhikr]] with misbaha is usual among Muslims, except [[Wahhabis]] who consider using misbaha as an [[bid'a]] (innovation) in Islam and use fingers instead.

===Sunni tradition===

There's various narrations about using ''misbaha'' among [[Sunni]]s: some [[Sunni]] [[hadith]] books recommend carrying of a ''misbaha'' to Muslims and also mentions that [[the Prophet (s)]] was using ''misbaha''. There's also other narrations from the Prophet (s) which blames usage of ''misbaha''.

===Shi'a tradition===

[[Shi'a]] believes that [[Lady Fatima (a)]] was one of the first to use ''misbaha'' and was using a string with 34 knots on it for saying [[tasbih]] after prayers ([[tasbih of Lady Fatima (a)]]). Later, she made a clay ''misbaha'' from soil of grave of uncle of the Prophet (s), [[Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib (a)|Hamza (a)]]. Following Lady "Fatima" (a), Shi'as make "misbaha" from [[turba of Imam Husayn (a)]], for blessing, known as ''turba misbaha''.

The most important application of ''misbaha'' is saying [[dhikr]] and Muslims put ''misbaha'' in their [[prayer mat]] so they can say dhikr after or between prayer; so usually pilgrims of [[holy places]] bring [[tablet]] and ''misbaha'' blessed by the shrines as souvenirs.

''Misbaha'', is also used for [[istikhara]].

[[Isma'ilia Khuja]]s in [[India]] use ''misbaha'' in some of their religious activities and rituals, including ''dhikr'' for [[Shah Gharib Mirza]] and supplication for [[Aqa Khan]].

''Misbaha'' usually have 101 beads, in three parts of 33 beads, with two beads dividing the three parts, in accordance with [[tasbih of Lady Fatima (a)]]. There's also ''misbahas'' with 25, 33, 34 beads.

Some [[sufi]]s use ''misbaha'' with 1000 beads which is used in burials; they turn it 3 times and each time say [[la ilah illa Allah]] 1000 times.

''Misbaha'' consists of 3 parts:

* Tassel: tassel is made of many short strings, knotted to main string of ''misbaha''.

* ''Dasta'': a bead, larger than other beads, with conical or cylindrical shape, between the tassel and other beads of ''misbaha''. It's also called ''yad'', ''mihrab''.

* '' 'Adasak'': two beads with a shape of lentil which are smaller than other beads, and sometimes made from a material other than other beads. The two '' 'adasaks'' divide ''misbaha'' into three parts.

''Misbaha'' is made of different materials:

* Clay: usually made of [[turba of Imam Husayn (a)]].

* Precious stones like agate, Jasper, ruby, etc. One of Precious stones which is used very much in making ''misbaha'' is ''shah maqsud'' (tourmaline) extracted from mines in [[Afghanistan]]; [[Yemen]]i agate could also be mentioned.