A Fiqh Study for Salat Al-Tasbih
Taken from the works of Ash-Shaykh Al-Imam Muhammad Al-Albani [1420H]
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Here’s a topic we don’t hear too much about and worth looking at to practice it in our short lived lives on this Planet.
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib: Abbas, my uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not produce for you ten things? If you act upon them, Allah will forgive you your sins, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and public.
These are the ten things: you should pray four rak’ahs, reciting in each one Fatiha al-Kitab and a surah. When you finish the recitation of the first rak’ah you should say fifteen times while standing: “Glory be to Allah”, “Praise be to Allah”, “There is no god but Allah”, “Allah is most great”. Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should kneel down in prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostration and say it ten times. Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times. Then you should raise your head after prostrating and say it ten times in every rak’ah. You should do that in four rak’ahs.
If you can observe it once daily, do so; if not, then once a week ; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then at least once in your lifetime. [1]
The scholars differ if Salat Al –Tasbih is a recommended sunnah act to practice. The Hanafi’ and Shaf’I Jurisprudence view this prayer is a Sunnah, and the Malikee’s and Hanbali’s don’t consider it a Sunnah.
Shaykh Al-Albani said: The scholars differ over the status of the hadith some say it’s fabricated, others say its Da’eef, Hasan or Sahih.
Shaykh Al-Albani began by mentioning the reasons why the scholars differ about this prayer. There are three categories of Hadith; Sahih, Hasan, and Da’eef. Sahih and Hasan both are authentic and there is a category which other narrations strengthen the status of these two: Sahih Li Ghayrahi and Hasan Li Ghayrahi.
Shaykh Al-Albani said:This hadith is authentic by way of two angles;
1: The hadith has been narrated and collected by Abu Dawud in his Sunnan and others. The people of knowledge say that when a hadith doesn’t have a narrator in its isnad known for lying or even accused as a liar, then this kind of hadith can be supported for its strength by way of other chains. There are several other narrations for the Tasbih prayer.
2: Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak used to act by this hadith. He was from among the senior scholars of the Salaf, and if this hadith wasn’t authentic; then there is no way he would have acted by it.[2]
Imam Al-Albani established 2 principles for the Muslim who looks at evidence. The 1st thing he mentioned and proved was just because a hadith is weak in one isnad doesn’t mean it’s unauthentic, as there can be other narrations to support it. Then the 2nd point the Shaykh highlighted was the actions of the Salaf can be followed, in particularly those Imams who were known to be erudites in Jurisprudence.
Ibn Jawzi and Ibn Taymiyyah considered this hadith to be a forged report since the wording of the hadith was strange.
Imam Al-Albani said: Ibn Jawzi and Ibn Taymiyyah held the opinion that text of the hadith was strange about the virtue of a prayer only offered once in a lifetime. Moreover, they said the Tasbih prayer doesn’t resemble the other well-known prayers from authentic sources. These two things lead them to say the hadith was fabricated. Anyone who looks at this hadith and the various narrations recorded will not say the hadith is fabricated and I don’t believe that Ibn Jawzi and Ibn Taymiyyah did that.[3]
Although Ibn Jawzi and Ibn Taymiyyah are great Imams Shaykh Imam Al-Albani explained how their statement for Salat Al-Tasbih as a forged report isn’t possible, since there were other chains which support each other, and their opinion was built on the matn of the hadith illustrating a seemingly strange description for the prayer.
Imam Al-Albani said: The irregular way this prayer is performed or mentioned isn’t a means to consider the hadith to be unacceptable. We are aware that there are other prayers done during the life time of the Prophet (ﷺ) such as the eclipse prayer which isn’t offered in the fashion the other prayers are.
Did the Prophet (ﷺ) ever offer this prayer?
Imam Al-Albani said: The Prophet (ﷺ) never prayed Salat Al-Tasbih himself; but urged his uncle to pray it.
The description for this prayer:
Imam Al-Albani said: Salat Al-Tasbih is done just like the rest of the other prayers except in every rakah there is 75 Tasbih said totaling 300.
In the first rakah before bowing the slave says:
“سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر “
15 times
Then he goes into Ruku and says
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times
The he raises from Ruku’ say [سمع الله لمن حمده ربنا و لك الحمد ]
Then he says while standing
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times
Then he goes down the Sajdah and after completing the Tasbih of Sujud he says
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times
And the sitting between the 2 Sujud’s he says
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times
Then he goes back down in Sajdah and after completing the Tasbih of Sujud he says
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times
Then he raises his head for Jalsah Istarah (The brief sitting after completing the 2nd sujud before standing again for the next Raka’h )he says
سبحان الله , و الحمد الله , و لا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
10 times.
This totals 75. And there are 4 Rak’ah in this prayer.[4]
Concluding here, this prayer was practiced by Imam Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak [181H] and based on the numerous reports collected the scholars past and present have said this hadith is authentic. Ibn As-Salah said this prayer is a Sunnah and not a Bid’ah and can be offered sometimes in a congregation.[5] Therefore, why not offer this prayer once day, or then once weekly and if you can’t do that, then how about once a month; if not, then do it yearly and if you are unable to carry that out, then do it once in your lifetime ,after reading this article and remember the reward from Allah for doing so. Allah knows best
Prepared by your brother in Islam,
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Doha, Qatar 1437©
upcoming topics for the Abu Aaliyah Gazatte
A comparison between the speech and actions of terrorist groups like ISIS/Al-Qaidah next to those similar in extreme in Tabdee.
Simple Daily Readings from the Quran for Protection and Jannah. Part 2 for “Simple daily deeds for Jannah.” availabe here at https://www.abuaaliyah.com/2016/01/31/simple-daily-deeds-for-jannah/
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[1] Sunnan Abu Dawud[ 1297] Ibn Majah[1387]
[2] [Al-Huda/wa Nur/75/21:47]
[3] [Rihlatun Nur:side B48/09:44]
[4] [ Rihlatu Nur/ side B48/9:44]
[5] [Fatawa ibn As-Salah vol1/pg 235/ question 84
As Salam alaikum ,
I just want you to have a look at this
https://islamqa.info/en/145112
And also the link given in this above question.
Jazaa kalLaahu khairan.