1. The Tasbih That Fatimah ('A) Used

It has been narrated in the famous book, Makarimul Akhlaq, that Fatimah Az-Zahra’ ('a) used to have a tasbih which was made of wool thread and had 100 knots tied in it and she used to perform the dhikr of Allah (SWT) with it. When Hamzah – the uncle of the Prophet (S) – was martyred in the battle of Uhud, the dirt from his grave was used to make the first beads that were used in the tasbih.

When Imam Husayn Ibn ‘Ali ('a) was martyred, people took the dirt from around the grave of the Imam ('a) to make the tasbih beads, since it had been narrated that there are great merits and blessings in the dirt around the grave of Imam al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali ('a).

Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq ('a) has said, “The (first) tasbih was made of blue thread and had 34 beads on it and that was the tasbih of our mother Fatimah Az-Zahra’. Then when Hamzah was killed, the tasbih was formed using the dirt of his grave, and with that after every Salat, the tasbih was recited (by all).”

2. Tasbih Made With The Turbah (Dirt) Of The Grave Of Imam Husayn ('A)

إِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللٌّهِ كَانَتْ مَسْـبَحْـتُهَا مِنْ خُيُوطِ صُوفٍ مُفَتَّلٍ عَلَيْهِ عَدَدَ التَّكْبِيـرَاتِ فَكَانَتْ تُدِيرُهَا بِيَدِهَا تُكَبِّرُ وَ تُسَبِّحُ إِلـى أَنْ قُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَاسْـتَعْمَلَتْ تُرْبَتَهُ وَ عَمِلَتِ التَّسَابِيحَ فَاسْتَعْمَلَهَا النَّاسُ.

“The tasbih of Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, was a piece of woolen string upon which, in the number of times that the takbir was to be said were the same number of knots and she used to spin this around her hand and mention the greatness of and glorification of Allah, until the time when Hamza became a martyr. After this, she made beads for the tasbih out of the dirt of his grave and from that day on, the making of a tasbih in this fashion (from the dirt of the Earth) became common among the people.”

3. The Worth Of Using A Tasbih Made From Dirt Around The Grave Of Imam Husayn ('A)

Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq ('a) was asked a question in relation to making the tasbih with the dirt of two particular places and which one was better – the dirt around the grave of Hamza or (from the grave of) Imam Husayn Ibn ‘Ali ('a)? The Imam ('a) replied, “As for the tasbih whose beads are made from the dirt of Imam Husayn’s grave, before one does tasbih with it, the beads itself perform the tasbih!”

4. Signs Of A Shi’a

It has been narrated from the book, Rawdhatul Wai’dhin, that Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far al-Kadhim ('a) has been quoted as saying: “Our Shi’a are not needless from four things:

1. The mohr/turbah (clay tablet) upon which they recite their Salat (perform the sajdah on);
2. The ring which they wear on their (right) hand;
3. The toothbrush (miswak) which they use to brush their teeth with (before the Salat);
4. A tasbih of 33 beads made from the dirt around the grave of Imam
Husayn Ibn ‘Ali ('a). Every time they do the dhikr with it, Allah writes forty thawab (rewards) for each bead used. If one recites the tasbih in a state of negligence (without full concentration or attentiveness to the tasbih and the meaning of the dhikr) then Allah writes twenty rewards for that person.”

5. The Tasbih Speaks The Truth

أَلسُّجُودُ عَلى طِيْنِ قَبْرِ الْحُسَينِ يُنَوِّرُ إِلـى الأَرْضِ السَّابِعَةِ وَ مَنْ كَانَتْ مَعَهُ سَبْحَةٌ مِنْ طِيْنِ قَبْرِ الْحُسَينِ كُتِبَ مُسَبِّحاً وَ إِنْ لَمْ يُسَبِّحْ بِهَا.

“Prostrating on the dirt from the grave of Husayn (peace be upon him) radiates Celestial Light up to the seventh Earth. The person who has a tasbih which is made from the dirt of the grave of Husayn (peace be upon him) in his possession will be counted as being one who glorifies Allah, even if he is not doing the act of tasbih with the beads!”

6. The Way Of Life Of Imam ‘Ali Ibn Al-Husayn As-Sajjad ('A)

It has been narrated that when Imam ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn Zaynul ‘Abidin ('a) was taken to the presence of Yazid, he (Yazid) decided to kill him. However, before this, Yazid began to speak to Imam as-Sajjad ('a) hoping that perhaps the Imam ('a) would say something which could give Yazid a reason to kill him. However, Imam as-Sajjad ('a) merely replied to whatever Yazid asked from him and said nothing more!

In the hand of the Imam was a small tasbih which the Imam was turning with his fingers, while speaking to Yazid. At one point in his conversation, Yazid, may he be distanced from Allah’s mercy, rebuked, ‘I am speaking to you and you are replying to me while you are turning a tasbih with your fingers – how is it that you see such an act (of talking to me and performing the remembrance of Allah) as being appropriate?’

The Imam ('a) replied to him, ‘My father informed me that he heard my grandfather ('a) say that when he would recite Salatul Fajr, before he would move from his spot, he would not say a single thing (after the Salat was complete) until he took the tasbih in his hand and read the following supplication:

أَللٌّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ وَأُسَبِّحُكَ وَ أُحَمِّدُكَ وَ أُهَلِّلُكَ وَ أُكَبِّرُكَ وَ أُمَجِّدُكَ بِعَدَدِ مَا أُدِيرُ بِهِ سُبْحَتِـي.

‘O’ Allah! Surely I have entered into the morning in a state of Glorifying You, Praising You, Singing Your Greatness, Extolling You, and Acclaiming You in the number of beads which I have in my tasbih.’

He would then take the tasbih in his hands and turn it and would then speak whatever he wanted to say (in the day) without saying any form of dhikr or tasbih. He went on to say that this has already been counted for him (the remembrance of Allah) and would result in his protection and safety until he goes to bed.

At night, he would sit on his bed and repeat the above supplication and would then place his tasbih under his pillow. From that time until he woke up from his sleep, his entire period of sleep was counted as one engaged in dhikr and tasbih.

Therefore, I am merely following in the steps of my grandfather and thus, what I am doing (in your presence) is nothing but what he used to do.’

Many times, Yazid, may Allah not shower His Mercy upon him, told the Imam ('a) that he (the Imam ('a)) had been victorious over him and finally in the end, he decided not to kill the Imam ('a). Instead, he ordered that the Imam ('a) be freed.

7. A Guide For The Angels

There is a narration which states that: “Whenever the Hurul ‘Ain (the heavenly individuals which await the believers) see Angels who are going towards the Earth for some work, they see that they use the tasbih which has been made with the dirt of the grave of Imam
Husayn to find their way around the Earth.”