The Healing Power of Prayer Beads

[hefny]

The Healing Power of Prayer Beads

By Karima Burns, MH, ND

11/04/2002

www.islamonline.net/English/Science/2002/04/images/pic07.jpg

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ziyad ibn Abi Ziyad said that Abu'd-Darda had said, "Shall I not tell you the best of your deeds, and those that give you the highest rank, and those that are the purest with your King, and are better for you than giving gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks?" They said, "Of course." He said, "Remembrance (dhikr) of Allah ta ala (Hadith Bukhari Book 15:7.24)."

Towards this goal many Muslims carry a sibhah, or prayer beads. Traditionally, prayer beads are used to keep track of how many times one has recited Subhan Allah, Alhamdulliah and Allahu Akbar. The most popular way is to use them after the obligatory prayer to recite the dhikr [remembrance of] Allah:

Narrated Abu Ma'bad: (the freed slave of Ibn 'Abbas) Ibn 'Abbas told me, "In the lifetime of the Prophet it was the custom to celebrate Allah's praises aloud after the compulsory congregational prayers." Ibn 'Abbas further said, "When I heard the Dhikr, I would learn that the compulsory congregational prayer had ended (Bukhari Vol.1: Book 12: 802)."

However, although the dhikr Allah has been recited from the time of the Prophet, the sibhah as we now know it today has not been recorded as being in existence at that time. Some accounts of history show that Muslims adopted the sibhah from India in the 2nd Islamic century and through them, in 1214, that the Christians adopted the idea and started using the rosary (Gulik).

However, methods of assistance have always been employed in religious devotion even before the sibhah. Tradition states that before the sibhah, stones were sometimes used to recite. Other religions used knotted cords or woven shawls to keep track of recitations.

Modern technology, however, has added a new dimension to prayer beads when electronic sibhah were invented. Many people even prefer not to use a sibhah at all.

http://www.islamonline.net/English/Science...mages/pic07.jpg[/img] [img]www.islamonline.net/English/Science/2002/04/images/pic07.jpg[/img]

[Muslimah]

as salam alykom

from the title u can realize that I edited the part talking about beads being a source of healing.

We must not seek healing from any other source than Allah, even taking medicince we must ascribe the healing done to Allah and only Allah. Once Prophet Moses PAPBUH went to talk to Allah complaining about an illness. Allah commanded him to go eat from a certain tree. He became ill again so he went directly to the tree, bbut no result. So he went to talk to Allah asking the reason. Allah told him on the first time, u came to me and I instructed u to use the tree, the second time u went to the tree. We must put our trust only in Allah.

[Dan]

Bismillah

As salam alaikum

I see prayer beads as one of the many bidahs that have risen in the Deen.

I personally stay away from them and even do not condone them. Rasul-ullah used to keep track of his thikr on the fingers of his right hand. I have found that this method is best (of course because it is sunnah). I have heard of brothers that will not do thikr unless they have prayer beads with them. How limiting! Rasul-ullah knew what he was doing with the sunnah of using fingers for thikr. I have no excuse. My counter is always with me. Now we muslims are using electronics to help us keep track of our thikr?!? Beware. Beware. Beware of unnecessary reliance upon dunya. Remember. Thikr is just a finger tip away.

Jazakum Allah Khair

As salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

[SisterJennifer]

On Judgement Day our fingers will testify as to what we used them for. What could be better than your own fingers tell that they were used for worshipping Allah swt?

I prefer to use my own fingers, but I know a person who has a disability. This person uses prayer beads as a way to help him remember what he is doing. So I think prayer beads have some good in them as well.

[Dan]

Bismillah

As salam alaikum

I agree sister. I mean if a person does not have a right hand does that mean that they do not eat? Of course not. I was only talking about under normal circumstances. I knew brothers at a mosque in a city that I used to live where they could not kneel down for sujood and had to use a chair to pray in. That does not mean that anyone is allowed to pray using a chair.

I only wanted to point out the bidah that was being condoned. We must remember that our deen is complete and all innovations lead only to the hellfire, no matter how pure the intention may seem to feel.

As salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

[Muslimah]

as salam alykom

The part I objected on dealt with the effect of the prayer beads material. Now dhikr is more than enough to heal, ask me, I have many experiences, just remembering Allah is more than enough.

[hefny]

<i>Originally posted by hefny </i><b>The Healing Power of Prayer Beads</b>

Towards this goal many Muslims carry a sibhah, or prayer beads. Traditionally, prayer beads are used to keep track of how many times one has recited Subhan Allah, Alhamdulliah and Allahu Akbar. The most popular way is to use them after the obligatory prayer to recite the dhikr [remembrance of] Allah:  

However, methods of assistance have always been employed in religious devotion even before the sibhah. Tradition states that before the sibhah, stones were sometimes used to recite. Other religions used knotted cords or woven shawls to keep track of recitations.  

Modern technology, however, has added a new dimension to prayer beads when electronic sibhah were invented. Many people even prefer not to use a sibhah at all.  

[/img]

No thing wrong to use prayer beads as mentioned above for:

1-methods of assistance

2-prayer beads are used to keep track of how many times one has recited

I knew do it on your figures is the best but most of us will start dhikr on fingers after few count he usually stop or not remembering how many he did

The only thing is wrong if we believe that sibhah has any good thing to do for the reward from Allah

It is only a tool and you can use any thing for count but our goal should be to recite the dhikr [remembrance of] Allah most of our time because it is your link with Allah

[Aqilah]

<i>Originally posted by Muslimah </i><b>as salam alykom</b>

from the title u can realize that I edited the part talking about beads being a source of healing.

We must not seek healing from any other source than Allah, even taking medicince we must ascribe the healing done to Allah and only Allah. Once Prophet Moses PAPBUH went to talk to Allah complaining about an illness. Allah commanded him to go eat from a certain tree. He became ill again so he went directly to the tree, bbut no result. So he went to talk to Allah asking the reason. Allah told him on the first time, u came to me and I instructed u to use the tree, the second time u went to the tree. We must put our trust only in Allah.

[Aqilah]

Asslaamualaikum wa ramatallahhi wa babrkatuh !

My-Shallah Brother U are right! I can be driving and I have my hand right there. caught in traffic and my hand is there. before Allah allows me to rest in the night my fingers are there. I even find i sleep better it keeps my mind on Allah till I go to in to my sleep. And Allah knows best.

It is easy we make the deen hard.

May Allah (SWT) keep us on the straight path.Amin

<i>Originally posted by Muslimah </i><b>as salam alykom</b>

from the title u can realize that I edited the part talking about beads being a source of healing.

We must not seek healing from any other source than Allah, even taking medicince we must ascribe the healing done to Allah and only Allah. Once Prophet Moses PAPBUH went to talk to Allah complaining about an illness. Allah commanded him to go eat from a certain tree. He became ill again so he went directly to the tree, bbut no result. So he went to talk to Allah asking the reason. Allah told him on the first time, u came to me and I instructed u to use the tree, the second time u went to the tree. We must put our trust only in Allah.

[Dan]

Bismillah

As salam alaikum

"No thing wrong to use prayer beads as mentioned above for:

1-methods of assistance

2-prayer beads are used to keep track of how many times one has recited

I knew do it on your figures is the best but most of us will start dhikr on fingers after few count he usually stop or not remembering how many he did"

I am sorry to disagree but it is my duty as a muslim to point out that prayer beads ARE BIDAH. EVERY bidah will lead to the hellfire. Rasul-ullah has told us that he has left nothing out of our religion that will lead us to Allah and has not forbidden for us what will lead us to the hellfire.

He told us to do thikr on our fingers by example. Beads existed at the time of the prophet. If he wanted us to use them to count, he would have used them. Brothers and sisters have talked about the benefits of using fingers and to me it is clear why the prophet used this example, easy access.

Muhammad has FORBIDDEN every innovation. It is our duty to keep pure the religion of Islam. Actually nowadays so much bidah and innovation has entered our deen, it is our duty to purify the deen. We must leave behind us all that was not sanctioned by the Messenger of Allah. All of it.

When it comes to everyday activities, it is only haram if Rasul-Ullah forbade it. When it comes to worship, salah thikr du'a, it is haram if Rasul-Ullah did not tell us to do it.

I come from a catholic background so prayer beads were atractive to me for the obvious reason that I was already familiar with them, the rosary. Once the bidah aspect was pointed out though, I never looked back. I thought about how I would have to explain myself to Allah when asked why I used such beads when the best of examples used his fingers, the one sanctioned by Allah. Did I not think that my fingers were good enough?

It might be harder to use our fingers but is there not more reward in the struggle for doing the sunnah?

Dear brothers and sisters, Christianity did not suddenly become polytheistic. Do we think that Jesus followers upon his ascent just decided to say Jesus was God? The reason Islam was brought to us is because every single other religion has been changed. These changes started a little bit at a time, until huge deviations were foundations of the faiths.

It is happening to the deen of Allah, so let us all take heed and be vigilant. Women would tell my mother after I converted that the hijab was not necessary but to just dress conservatively. Mixing at mosques has become more prevelant. Beards are only for the Imams and fanatics. Women do not want to sit in the back of rooms because they feel they are being degraded instead of us being purified from our desires. These invlove the commandements of Allah! There are some things that my nafs does not like but I do it anyway because WE ARE COMMANDED to do them.

I apologize for such a long post on what seemed to be a simple subject but I feel it to be my duty to point these things out. I am only seeking the pleasure of Allah and nothing more. If I wanted to please my brothers and sisters, I would not write much of what I do write on this board. If I am wrong then please show me that I am by qur'an or hadith. I am truly on a search for knowledge.

Anything that I have said that benefits my brothers and sisters is from Allah. Anything that I have said that is incorrect or has created division and anomosity is only from my own great faults and shortcomings. May Allah forgive me for them. May my brothers and sisters look past them and see the love I hold for our deen and for Allah.

Jazakum Allah Khair

As salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu