What is Salatul Tasbih?
It is a voluntary salah which is called Salatul Tasbih because it entails reciting tasbih in various positions during the salah. It can be recited as 2 rakahs with 150 tasbih or 4 rakahs with 300 tasbih.
Is the Salatul Tasbih a sunnah?
This salah is a voluntary salah which is purported to elicit huge forgiveness as per the narration of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), which some scholars dispute, but is nevertheless a good narration. Narrated by Abu Dawoud, Ibn Majah, Daraqutni, Bayhaqi, Tabarani and Ibn Khuzaymah and many others.
What are the rewards of Salatul Tasbih?
The Prophet ﷺ is narrated to have said to his uncle Al- ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Ibn ‘Abbas told that the Prophet said to al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al- Muttalib:
O ‘Abbas, O my uncle, shall I not give you a gift, shall I not give you something, shall I not tell you of something which, if you do it, will expiate for ten types of sins? If you do them, Allah will forgive you your sins, the first and the last of them, the old and the new, the unintentional and the deliberate, the minor and the major, the secret and the open, ten types of sin: first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open? You should pray four rak’as reciting in each one Fatihat al-Kitab and a sura and when you finish the recitation in the first rak’a you should say fifteen times while standing, Subhan-Allah wal- hamdu Lillah wa la ilaha illallah wa Allahu Akbar:“Glory be to God. Praise be to God. There is no god but Allah. Allah is most great.” Then you should do Ruku’ bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should get down in Sujud prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostrating yourself and say it ten times. ’ Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times, then raise your head and say it ten times. That is, seventy-five times in every rak’a. You should do that in four rak’as. If you can observe it once daily do so; if not, then once weekly; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then once in your lifetime.
(Narrated by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da’awat al-kabir, transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar from Abu Rafi’)
When can you perform Salatul Tasbih?
Salat ul Tasbih can be offered at any time a day except at disliked times. One should be in a state of wudu and pray in a clean place, and wear clean clothes and be covered as per any normal salah.
How to perform Salatul Tasbih
The Tasbih which is recited in Salaat-Ul-Tasbih is:
‘Subhaanallaahi walhamdu lillaahi walaa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu akbar’
- Make the intention to pray Salatul Tasbih.
- Say Allahu akbar and fold hands and recite the thana.
- Recite Surat Al-Fatihah, followed by a surah then recite tasbih 15 times.
- Go into ruku (the bowing position) and recite subahaana rabbiyal azeem followed by the tasbih 10 times/
- Stand up after Ruku and say samee allaahu liman hamidah, rabbana wa lakal hamd, followed by the tasbih 10 times.
- Go into the first sujud and recite subahaana rabbiyal aa’la three times, followed by the tasbih 10 times.
- Sit up (between the two sujud) and then recite the above tasbi 10 times.
- Go into the second sujud and recite subahaana rabbiyal aa’la, followed by the tasbih 10 times.
- Then raise your head from Sujud and say it ten times before you stand up.
This is a total of 75 tasbih in the first rakah.
Repeat this for two or four rakahs.
Once complete, one will have recited the Tasbih 150 times in 2 rakahs and 300 times in four rakahs.
Salat ul Tasbih is a great form of nafl prayer, through which one can attain forgiveness for past sins and wrongdoings by attaining the pleasure of Allah Almighty by paying Him great Respect through Tasbih.
Is salatul tasbih permissible or bid’ah?
Salatul Tasbih is a special form of prayer mentioned in various Hadith collections. Scholars have differed on its authenticity and whether it should be practiced regularly.
- View That It Is Permissible (Recommended)
Many scholars from the Hanafi, Shafi’i, and some Hanbali schools consider Salatul Tasbih permissible and recommended, based on the following hadith:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to his uncle al-‘Abbas:
“O Abbas, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah! Shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not do for you, shall I not tell you of ten things, if you do them, Allah will forgive your sins…?”
[Then he described the format of Salatul Tasbih.]
(Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, and others)
Although the hadith has some weaknesses in its chain, many hadith scholars like Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani and Imam al-Suyuti and Daraqutni said it is hasan (good) due to multiple chains strengthening each other.
- View That It Is a Bid’ah (Innovation)
Some scholars, like Ibn Taymiyyah and certain Salafi scholars, argue that Salatul Tasbih is an innovation, mainly because:
• The hadith isn’t found in the most authentic collections like Bukhari and Muslim.
• There’s no strong evidence that the Prophet (peace be upon him) or his companions consistently prayed it.
Summary:
• Majority of traditional scholars say it is permissible and even recommended occasionally.
• Some contemporary scholars, especially from the Salafi approach, say it is not part of the Sunnah and thus a bid’ah.
It’s not obligatory, so there’s no sin in leaving but there is much reward in doing it with the intention of extra worship if you follow the scholars who consider it valid.
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