Question

Could you mention the Hadith, that states: Date seeds or pebbles were used while doing dhikr?

Also could you mention its authenticity?

Answer

Sayyiduna Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) visited a woman who was reciting tasbih on date pits, or pebbles…

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3568, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 837 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1, pg. 547-548)

This Hadith is classified as reliable by Imams: Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban, Hakim & Dhahabi (rahimahumullah).

Shaykh ‘Abdul Hayy Laknawi (rahimahullah) – a world renowned Scholar – has a detailed book on the issue of using the ‘subhah’ or ‘tasbih’ (a collection of beads on a string) for reciting/counting dhikr. He has substantiated this with Hadiths of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), the practice of the Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) as well as the verdicts of the ‘Ulama.

This book is printed and is entitled: Nuzhatul Fikr, fi Subhati Dhikr.

‘Allamah Suyuti (rahimahullah has also authored a booklet on this issue entitled: Al-Minhah fis Subhah.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar