Prayer Beads - Haram?

Good Question - Here is what we came across in our searching:

Some scholars have ruled it is acceptable to use the masbahah - If someone is only using these to keep their count and would otherwise loose count - but not loosing their ability to focus on the actual purpose for doing 'Thikr' (remembrance of Almighty God) while doing so.

It seems it is acceptable provided he does so just to remember the number of times he might say phrases or words of spiritual inspiration, but of course, without making any type of association between the beads and actual worship itself.

A few scholars say it is permissible to use the masbahah. But they say that it is preferable to do tasbeeh on one’s fingers; others say that it is bidah (reprehensible innovation).

But a large majority of scholars do not encourage the use of such things in Islam, due to the confusion usually assoicated with these types of "bid'ah" (innovations - things not done by the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him).

The well-known Sheikh of Islam, Ibn Taymiyah ruled against these and other items, if there was anything involved in "showing off". Here is his findings from Quran and teachings of Muhammad, peace be upon him (these are called 'hadeeth'):

Sheikh Ibn Taymiyah wrote his answer in Al-Fataawa (The Rulings), in 22/187, saying:

"Some of them might show off, putting their prayer rugs over the shoulder and carrying their prayer beads in their hands, making them as symbols of religion and prayer. It is known from many reports, neither prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, nor his followers used such things. They would recite taasbeeh (repeating phrases from Quran or mentioning the Names of Allah) while counting on their fingers. The hadeeth (words of prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) says, "Count on your fingers because they will be asked, and will be made to speak."

Some might count their recitations or remembrances using pebbles or date pits. Others say doing tasbeeh using these so-called "thikr beads" or the date pits is makhrooh (hated but not totally forbidden), others say it is allowed, while still others say it is totally forbidden and a hated innovation (bidah). But no one is on record saying it is preferred over counting on the fingers.
(Sheikh Ibn Taymiyah continues on the topic)... "The issue of showing off with these beads (masbahah) which are not prescribed in Islam, as being even worse than showing off with something that is prescribed by Islam.

Now we mention something on this subject from a well known scholar of our times, Sheikh Muhammad bin Salih Al Uthaymin, in "Al Liqa Al Maftooh, 3/30". The sheikh was asked about using masbahah (prayer beads), and if it could be considered as a bidah (innovation in the worship of Islam). He answered as follows:

"It is best not to do your remembrance (of Allah) using prayer stones. However, it is not 'bidah', because some companions did something similar with pebbles. However, the prophet (peace be upon him) taught us to use our fingers and this is better. As he said, 'Count with the fingertips, for these will be made to speak'. Doing tasbeeh with prayer beads is shunned due to something being better. Using it (prayer beads) may also be compromised due to a tendency to "show off" as we see some using this as if saying 'Look at me, I am doing 1,000 recitations!'
Second, those who do this are usually absent-minded, lacking any focus, looking around while doing so. Likely they are not concentrating. It's best to use the fingers, especially the right hand, not the left, due to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, counting on rememberance of Allah on his right hand. If someone uses both hands, this is acceptable and nothing wrong in it. But the best is to use the right hand by itself."

Another outstanding scholar of Islam who died in May of 1999, may Allah have Mercy on him, Sheikh of hadeeth, Muhammad Nasir Ul-Deen Al Albani, said in his "Al Silsilat Al Daeefah' (Weak Hadeeth, number 1/110), wherein he quotes from unsubstaniated (weak) hadeeth, "What a good reminder is the 'subhah' (prayer beads). In my opinion the meaning of this hadeeth is not valid for the following:

First of all, As-Subhah (prayer beads) is bidah (hated innovation in religion) wasn't known during the life of the Messenger, peace be upon him. It came about after his lifetime, so how could he have encouraged this practice amongst his followers, as it was not known to them? The proof for my saying is reported by Ibn Waddah in Al-Bid Wal Nahy 'anha, from Al Salt Ibn Bahram, who said, "Ibn Masood passed by a woman who had prayer beads as she was making tasbih (remembrance of Almighty God), and he broke it and threw it away. Then he witnessed a man doing the same thing using pebbles and he kicked him, saying "You think you're better than companions (of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)? Yet, you're following bidah (innovation in religion)!"
This hadeeth is authentic going back to Al-Salt, a trusted follower of the righteous followers of companions (of Prophet Muhammad, peace be uopn him).

Second, this is against the guiding of Prophet (peace be upon him). Abdullah Ibn 'Amr said, "I saw Rasoolullah (Messenger of Allah) peace be upn him, counting his tasbeeh on his right hand".
He also said, "If there is only one bad thing about prayer beads, is these replace the 'Sunnah' (way of the prophet, peace be upon him), of using the fingers to count on, even though all agree counting on fingers is preferred, then that is bad enough. How rare to see people counting the remembrance on their fingers.

Additionally, people invented more advanced ways to follow this bidah (innovation), until you see followers of a tariqah (Sufi way) wearing these prayer beads around the neck. Or else some counting beads while talking or listening. Or in one case, something I haven't seen for awhile - riding the bike down the crowded street with the beads in one hand. They're just showing people they aren't distracted from their remembrance of Allah even for a minute. But in most this bidah causes neglect in what is wajib (mandatory). It happens too much, to me and others as well, when greeting one of them with "salam alaykum" (peace be unto you), they do not answer (with wa alaykum salam), rather they just wave without returning the proper greeting. The evil of this bidah is so much, and none says it better than the poet who said:

"All good is following of the way of companions (of Muhammad, peace be upon him) and early scholars of Islam;
All evil is in the innovations of those who came along later"

Truly, Allah is the All-Knowing - and we know nothing, except that He Subhannah wa Talalah (Allah, Most Glorified and Most High) has bestowed upon us any of His Knowledge.

[Taken in part from Sheikh ul Islam, Ibn Taymiyah; Sheikh Bin Uthaymin; Sheikh Al Albani and our contemporary Sheikh for providing answers on the Internet - Sheikh Muhammad Munajjid]

It is requested to pray for all of those who strive to research, compare, preserve and share the true findings of real Islam in these most difficult times, wherein there is little factual information being preserved and shared.