Salat-ut-Tasbih

Salat ut-Tasbih is authentically proven from many Hadiths which are Sahih/Hasan themselves or due to multiple chains which strengthen them overall. It has been practice of real Salaf as-Saliheen plus great classical scholars held it in high esteem.

Proof # 1

Imam Tirmidhi (rah) has made a whole chapter title as “بابُ ما جَاءَ في صَلاةَ التسْبيحِ” which means: “Chapter in regards to what has been narrated about Salat ut Tasbih” and he brought under it many hadiths plus he also proved that many Salaf considered it as a virtuous act. I shall present some ahadith from his chapter along with authentication given by Wahabi scholar Zubair Ali Zai (so that Salafis are not left with excuses). Let us first look at explicit statement by Imam Tirmidhi (rah):

وقد رُوِيَ عنِ النبيِّ غيرُ حديثٍ في صلاةِ التسبيحِ ولا يصح منهُ كبيرُ شيءٍ.

وقد رَوَى ابنُ المباركِ وغيرُ واحدٍ من أهلِ العلمِ صلاةَ التسبيحِ وذكرُوا الفضلَ فيه.

Translation: Many hadiths are reported from the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on salat ut-Tasbih, but most of them are not sahih (meaning some are indeed Sahih) Ibn Mubarak (R.A) and many people of knowledge have narrated about salat ut tasbih and its virtues.-End Quote – [Jami Tirmidhi, Volume No.2, Page No. 509, Published by Dar ul Kutb al iLmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon]

Proof # 2

حدثنا أبو كُرَيْبٍ (محمدُ بن العَلاَءِ ) حدثنا زيدُ بنُ حُبَابٍ العُكْلِيُّ حدثنا موسى بنُ عُبَيْدَةَ قال: حدثني سعيدُ بن أبي سَعِيدٍ مولَى أبي بكرِبنِ محمدِ بن عمرِو بن حَزْمٍ عن أبي رافعٍ ، قال: قال رسولُ الله للعباسِ:

«يا عمِّ ألا أصِلُكَ ألا أحْبُوكَ ألاَ أنفَعُكَ قال: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ الله قال: يا عَمِّ صَلِّ أربعَ ركعَاتٍ تقرأُ في كلِّ ركعةٍ بفاتحةِ الكتابِ وسورةٍ،فإذا انْقَضَتْ القراءةُ فقل: الله أكبرُ والحمدُ لله وسبحانَ الله خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ مَرَّةً قبلَ أن تركعَ، ثم اركْع فَقُلْها عشراً، ثم ارفعْ رَأْسَكَ فَقُلْهَاعشراً، ثم اسجدْ فَقُلْها عشراً ثم ارْفَعْ رأْسَكَ فَقُلْها عشراً ثم اسْجُدْ فقلْها عشراً ثم ارفعْ رأسَكَ فقلْها عشراً قبل أن تَقُومَ، فذلك خمسٌ وسبعونَفي كلِّ ركعةٍ وهي ثلاثُ مائةٍ في أربعِ ركعاتٍ ولو كانت ذُنوبُكَ مِثْلَ رَمْلِ عَالَجٍ غَفَرَها الله لك. قالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله ومَنْ يستطيعُ أنيقُولَها في يومٍ؟ 

قال إنْ لم تَسْتَطِعْ أن تقولَها في يومٍ فَقُلْها في جمعةٍ، فإنْ لم تَسْتَطِعْ أن تقولَها في جمعةٍ فَقُلْها في شَهْرٍ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يقولُ له حتَّى قال فَقُلهافي سَنَةٍ». قال أبو عيسى: هذا حديثٌ غريبٌ من حديث أبي رافعٍ.

Translation: Abu Rafi (R.A) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said to Abbas (R.A), “O Uncle! Shall I not join ties with you? Shall I not give you? Shall I not benefit you?” He said, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah!” So, he said, “O Uncle! Pray four raka’at. recite in each raka’ah the Surah Fatiha and a Surah and when you have finished the recital, say (Allahu Akbar Wal Hamdulillah Wa Subhan Allah) fifteen times before making the ruku. Then go into the ruku and repeat them ten times. Then raise your head and say the words ten times. Then go into prostrations and repeat them ten times, and raise your head and say the words ten times. Then prostrate and say the words ten times, and (again) raise your head and repeat them ten times before you stand up. So, this is (in all) seventy five in each raka’ah and it three hundred in all four rak’at. Even if your sins are like the sand particles of Aalij, Allah will forgive them for you”. He ( Abbas (R.A) said, “O Messenger of Allah! Who can stand up for it every day?” He said, “If you cannot establish it every day, then observe it on Friday. And if you cannot do that every Friday then observe it every month”. And he did not cease to say that until he said, “Offer it once in a year”.

Imam Tirmidhi (R.A) said: This hadith as narrated by Abu Rafi is Gharib.[Jami Tirmidhi (2/514)]

The Salafi(Wahabi) scholar Zubair Ali Zai declared this hadith as “HASAN (FAIR)” [Sunnan Tirmidhi Published by Salafi(Wahabi) publishing house Dar us Salam Volume No.1, Page No. 486]

Proof # 3

حدثنا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بنُ بِشْرِ بنِ الْحَكَمِ النَيْسَابُورِيُّ أخبَرَنَا مُوسَى بنُ عَبْدِ العَزِيزِ أخبَرَنَا الْحَكَمُ بنُ أَبَانَ عن عِكْرِمَةَ عنْ ابن عَبَّاسٍ أَنْرَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم قال لِلعَبَّاسِ بنِ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ

Imam Abu Dawud also narrated the above hadith from Sayyidna Abbas (RA) with a different chain of narrators. [Sunnan Abu Dawud, Hadith # 1297]

Again the Salafi(Wahabi) scholar Zubair Ali Zai who is considered as a champion over hadith sciences has declared this hadith as “HASAN” [Sunnan Abu Dawud, Published by Dar us Salam, Volume No.2, Page No. 96] Also remember that Silence of Imam Abu Dawud (rah) is itself proof of his authentication.

Proof # 4

Imam al-Hakim (rah) has also made a whole chapter on “Salat ut-Tasbih” and after bringing under it many ahadith from different Sahaba he says:

وقد صحّت الرواية عن عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله علم ابن عمّه جعفر بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنههذه الصلاة كما علّمها عمّه العباس رضي الله عنه.

Translation: This report is also authentically reported from Abdullah bin Umar bin Khattab (RA) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) taught his Uncle Jafar bin Abi Talib (ra) just like he taught his uncle Abbas (RA)

He then says:

هذا إسناد صحيح لا غبار عليه، ومما يستدل به على صحة هذا الحديث استعمال الأئمة من أتباع التابعين إلى عصرنا هذا إياه،ومواظبتهم عليه، وتعليمه الناس منهم عبد الله بن المبارك رحمة الله عليه.

Translation: This chain is “SAHIH AND THERE IS NO GHUBAAR (DOUBT) ON IT” Another proof of it being sahih is that Scholars of hadith have “ USED IT” and also taught people for doing the same, this has been happening since the time of those following “Tabiyeen” This includes people like Abdullah bin Mubarak – Rahimuhullah Alaih. [Mustadrak al Hakim ala Sahihayn (1/464)] 

Imam al-Hakim (rah) then says about Imam Ibn Mubarak (ra)

رواة هذا الحديث عن ابن المبارك كلهم ثقات أثبات ولا يتهم عبد الله أن يعلّمه ما لم يصح عنده سنده.

Translation: Those narrating this hadith from Ibn Mubarak are “ALL THIQA THABIT (UTTERLY RELIABLE)”and Ibn Mubarak cannot be accused that he preached something which was not sahih according to himself. [Mustadrak al Hakim ala Sahihayn (1/464)]

Proof # 5

Imam Ibn Majah has also made a whole chapter on Salat ut Tasbih and brought ahadith under it, refer to “Sunnan Ibn Majah (1/442, Hadith # 1430)]

Proof # 6

Imam al-Bayhaqi (rah) also narrated ahadith on Salat ut Tasbih and then says

وكان عبد الله بن المبارك يفعلها وتداولها الصالحون بعضهم من بعض وفيه تقوية للحديث المرفوع وبالله التوفيق

Translation: Salat-ut-Tasbeeh was the practice of Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak and many pious predecessors of various eras. And this in fact lends strength to the Marfu hadith and Allah is best in giving Tawfiq.' [al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab ul Iman (1/427)]

Proof # 7

Imam al Mundhiri (rah) said:

قال الحافظ: وقد رُوي هذا الحديث من طرق كثيرة، وعن جماعة من الصحابة وأمثلها حديث عكرمة هذا، وقد صححه جماعة منهم:الحافظ أبو بكر الآجريّ، وشيخنا أبو محمد عبد الرحيم المصري، وشيخنا الحافظ أبو الحسن المقدسي رحمهم الله تعالى

Translation: The Hafidh (i.e. Imam al-Mundhiri) said: This hadith is narrated through “MANY WAYS” and many Sahaba have narrated similar to the hadith of Akrama. It is also declared as “SAHIH BY JAMAAT”which includes scholars like: 1)Hafidh Abu Bakr al-Ajri, 2)My Sheikh Abu Muhammad Abdur Raheem al-Misri, 3) My Sheikh Abul Hasan al-Maqdisi – Rahimuhullah Ta’la [Targheeb wa Tarheeb (1/267)] 

Proof # 8

Imam Jalal ud-din Suyuti (RA):He has mentioned upto 20 great Muhaditheen who declared the ahadith on Salat ut-Tasbih as Authentic, such scholars include Hafidh Abu-Sa'eed al-Sam'ani, Hafidh Khateeb al-Baghdadi, Hafidh ibn Mandah, Imaam al-Subki, Imam ibn Salah, Imam Abu-Musa al-Madini, Hafidh al-Zarkashi and others. [Al Lalil Masnu’ah(2/42-44)]

Summary of the article is that Salat ut-Tasbeeh is a permissible rather highly recommended act of worship, which is taught by Prophet (Peace be upon him), practiced by Sahaba/Tabiyeen and strengthened by practise of great scholars.

Salaat al-Nooraniyyah (The Illuminated Prayer)

When Muhammad al-Talmaysani (r) completed Dalaa'il al-Khayraat 100,000 times, he saw the Prophet (s) in a dream, saying, “O Muhammad al-Talmaysani! If you read the Salaat al-Nuraniyya of Ahmad al-Badawi, it will be as if you have completed Dalaa'il al-Khayrat 800,000 times!”

Salaat al-Faatih (The Prayer that Conquers)

The Prophet (s) informed us that reading this salawaat equals to reading 600,000 salawaats and performing 400 Hajj! He (s) said, For every salawaat on me a bird or angel with 70,000 wings comes and opens its wings, each of which makes salawaat on me. So every time you recite this salawaat" (Salaat al-Fatih) 600,000 birds will make salawaat and the rewards of their salawaats will be written for you."ahadeeth say reciting Salaat al-Faatih once equals to 600,000 readings of Dalaa’il al-Khayrat