Tasbih

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Tasbih (تسبيح) is a form of dhikr that involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying God. The term can also be used loosely to refer to any kind of dhikr.^{[citation needed]} To keep track of counting either the phalanges of the right hand or a misbaha is used.

[edit] Etymology

A mishaba, a device used for counting tasbih

The term tasbih is an irregular derivation from subhan^{[citation needed]}, which is the first word of the constitutive sentence of the first third of the canonical form (see below) of Tasbih. The word literally means, as a verb, "to travel swiftly" and as a noun, "duties" or "occupation", with the implied meaning in this context being "to carry out duties assigned by Allah swiftly and expeditiously".

[edit] Canonical form

In order:

Subhan'allah (سبحان الله) (Glory be to Allah) – repeated 33 times.
Alhamdulillah (الحمد لله) (Praise be to Allah) – repeated 33 times.
Allahu akbar (الله أكبر) (God is the greatest) – repeated 34 times.

[edit] Substantiation from Hadith

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The most cited Hadiths in support of the practice are the following:

من سبح لله في دبر كل صلاة ، ثلاثاً و ثلاثين وحمد الله ثلاثاً وثلاثين وكبر ثلاثاً وثلاثين تكبيرة ، وقال تمام المئة ، لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير ، غفرت له خطاياه وإن كانت مثل زبد البحر ) – He who said Subhan'allah (Glory be to Allah) at the rear of each prayer thirty three times and thanked God thirty three times and performed takbir (Said Allahu Akbar: Greatest is Allah) thirty four times, and said there is no god but Allah nor he has a partner, his is the Mulk (All that is) and to him is Gratitude and he capable of everything, his transgressions would be forgiven even if they were as much as sea froth). Transmited by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj

معقبات لا يخيب قائلهن أو فاعلهن دبر كل صلاة مكتوبة ، ثلاثاً وثلاثين تسبيحة وثلاثاً وثلاثين تحميدة وأربعاً وثلاثين تكبيرة *ndash; Endings whose sayer or doer at the rear of every prayer may never be abortive: thirty three tasbihas (Glorification of Allah), thirty three tahmida (The expression of gratitude to Allah) and thirty four takbira [the saying of Allahu Akbar]). Transmited by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj