Masbaha The Muslim Rosary

Masbaha- the Muslim Rosary

Like the rosary of the Roman Catholics and the Anglicans, the Masbaha (plural masabih) is used by Muslims in their prayers and meditation. This prayer tools is used by Muslims to recite the dhikr or the remembrance of Allah as written in the Holy Koran.
Basically, the masbaha is like a prayer guide to help a Muslim to take into account the rituals of dhikr and used as a memory aid to keep track of the recitation of the 99 names of Allah. It is well performed during the holy month of Ramadan.

Some people call masbaha as masbaha. In Arabic, it is also known as subha, in Urdu as tasbih and in Turkish as tespih.

Masbaha is usually consisted of simple objects such as wood, plastics, semi-precious stones, animal bones and even varnished seeds. The string that loops these beads together are made of nylon or cotton.

Though this Muslim rosary varies in sizes and style, it has general attributes. It has 99 beads grouped into clusters with 33 each. A shorter string with 10 beads is used to keep track of multiples, while a fringed rope marks the ends of the 99 bead chain. However, the masbaha can be longer consisting of 999 beads to eliminate the need for other beads for multiples.

Saudi Arabia has the largest Masbaha market with $5 million of annual profit. The price increases as the type of bead materials become more precious. Cheaper masbaha are made of seeds and animal bones while the more expensive ones can be made of gold or even black diamonds. For nearly seven decades, Saudis have been manufacturing and marketing masbaha in west Saudi Arabia. In the beginning, they have used materials such as precious stones. Today, the masbaha industry is booming other foreign markets are shrinking the Saudi market.

It is believed that the Prophet Mohammad used simple memory aids in form of seeds and animal bones to help him keep track on his prayers. However, it was Caliph Abu Bakr who used the masbaha. Early Muslims used loose pebbles or fingers while praying. Another record shows that in 1800s, Muhammad Baqir Majlisi recorded that Fatima (daughter of Muhammad) would visit the Martyr’s Graveyard (tomb of people killed in the Battle of Uhud) every two days and then make a prayer bead. Hearing of this, people began imitating the practice. The widespread propagation of masbaha began at the same time with the propagation of the Christian rosary in Europe.

A famous recital of prayer using a masbaha is called the Tsapih-e-Fatima that includes Subhan’allah (Glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (praise to Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is great). These prayers are repeated for 33 times.

However, Wahab Muslims (followers of Wahhabism) objects to the use of masbaha. They believe that Mohammad used his right hand fingers and thus Muslims should pray following this system.

Some Muslims believe that the masbaha have lost its religious purpose and now used for ornament, worry beads, and for a symbol of social status. Different types of masbaha from a $3 juniper seed to a whopping $3,000 masbaha made of diamond stones can be purchased in any rosary shop online or local. However, people saw this in a positive view as the masbaha is part of the old Arabian culture that is still present today.