How Is Tasbih Prayer Performed?

How is tasbih prayer performed?

Tasbih prayer is a mandub (recommended) prayer which is advised to be established at least once in a lifetime. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised it to his uncle Abbas as, “ O 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 open.” and taught this prayer to him. When Abbas told that they could not be able to do it every day, he expressed that it would be enough if one can establish it once in a week, once in a month, once in a year, or once in a lifetime (Abu Dawud, Tatawwu’, 14; Tirmidhi, Salat, 238).

Tasbih prayer consists of four rakats and is performed as follows: Start prayer after making intention by saying “I intend to establish tasbih prayer for the consent of Allah”. After Subhanaka, recite “Subhanallahi walhamdulillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar” for 15 times. Then recite isdi’adha and basmalah, recite Fatiha and a short surah, and then recite 10 more times “Subhanallahi walhamdulillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar” The same tasbih is recited for 10 times when bowed down for ruku, 10 times when stood upright after ruku, 10 times in the first sajdah, 10 times when sitting after the first sajdah, and 10 more times in the second sajdah. Thereby the tasbih is recited for 75 times in every rakat. When stood up for the second rakat, the tasbih is recited for 15 times and then the person recites the basmalah, Fatiha, a short surah, and the tasbih for 10 times. Remaining rakats are performed the same way, thereby completing 4 rakats and reciting three hundred tasbihs in total.

One cannot establish tasbih prayer in the prohibited times (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, II, 30-31). If something that requires sajdah al-sahw occurs in tasbih prayer, sajdah al-sahw is performed normally and the tasbihs specific to tasbih prayer are not recited in those sajdahs (Tahtawi, Hashiyah, p. 361).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS