#895: Ruling on the use of Rosary for counting the Tasbih and making Adhkar without covering the Hair
895. QUESTION
ON THE USE OF ROSARY FOR COUNTING TASBIH AND MAKING ADHKAR WITHOUT COVERING THE HAIR
Assalamu alaikum Malam how are you Please I have a couple of questions.
1. Is it ok to use rosary (tasbih) for prayer especially when you have a lot to do and using the fingers can get confusing
2. Can a woman do adhkar with her hair exposed.
Jazakallahu khairan
ANSWER
Wa alaikum salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,
Alhamdulillah, may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon our beloved Muhammad.
As regarding what follows, the use of rosary in such a situation as you have described is permissible because there are narrations from Imam Ahmad in Al-Zuhd, Sunan of Abu Dawood and Tirmdhi, that companions like Abu Hurairah, Abu Darda and others made use of pebbles or date stones in counting and keeping track of the tasbih they make daily.
Likewise the pious predecessors that followed companions like Ibraheem bin Yazeed An Nakhi who was one of the great scholars of hadith and fiqh and well known as a great Tabiee. Was reported to have used pebbles and date stones for tasbih. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba)
So based on this narrations we say the use of pebbles or it’s likes for
1. those that intend to make a lot of tasbih
2. And those having difficulty to keep track of their counting with their fingers
is permissible as long as
1. It is not regarded as a sacred religious symbol.
2. No special reward is attached to the use of it.
However it should always be remembered that making use of the fingers is always best because the Prophet alaihi salam said:
“Hold fast to At-Tasbih, At-Tahlil, and At-Taqdis, and count them upon the fingertips, for indeed they shall be questioned, and they
will be made to speak. And do not become heedless, so that you forget about the Mercy
(of Allāh).'” Sunan Tirmidhi, 5/571 #3583
And Allāh knows best.
Regarding your second question, we don’t see anything wrong with her doing adhkar while her hair is exposed because of:
1. The general meaning of the ayah “Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire:” (Surah 3:191)
2. To the best we know, It has not been mentioned by scholars as a condition for the acceptance or validity of generally making dhikr. Rather it is an act of submission and drawing close to Allāh, like all other kinds of good deeds.
And Allah knows best.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu khayran.
Abu Hafs
12th Jumadal Ūla, 1441AH.
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