Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-a-laykum,

During Ramadhan many scholars worldwide recommend Salahtul Tasbeeh (Nawafil) - which has been agreed in authentic hadiths - and normally this

is prayed (a) in Jammah of 4 rakats in the mosques during the odd nights of the last Ashrah. (b) for women who usually pray at home to also perform this in Jammah with a knowledgeble women leading the Salahtul Tasbeeh. Could you advise if both practices are in fact Biddah and there will be a sin for this on the day of judgement?

An answer of `it was not practiced by any of the Sahabah / Sahabihah` is not the answer I am looking for?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Salaat tasbeeh

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

'Ikrimah reports from Ibn 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said to 'Abbas ibn 'Abdal-Mutalib: "O 'Abbas, O Uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not tell you ten things which, if you do, Allah will forgive your first and last sins, past and present sins, intentional and unintentional sins, private and public sins? The ten actions are: pray four rak'at, reciting in every rak'ah al-Fatihah and a surah. And when you finish the Qur'anic recitation of the first rak'ah, say, while standing, 'Subhanallah, al-hamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa Allahu Akbar' ['Glory be to Allah. All praise is due to Allah. There is no God except Allah. Allah is the greatest.'] fifteen times. Then make ruku', and while you are in ruku', say the same ten times; then stand, and say the same ten times. Then go down and make sajdah, and while you're in sajdah, say the same ten times. Then sit after the sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then make sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then sit after the second sajdah, and say the same another ten times. That is seventy-five [repetitions of the phrases] in each rak'ah. Do that in each of the four rak'at. If you can pray it once a day, do so. If you cannot, then once every Friday. If you cannot do that, then once a year. And if you cannot do that then once in your life."

Related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaimah, and at-Tabarani.

The above narration by Ikrimah is quoted as ‘sahih’ or authentic by many recorders of ahaadiths. Some scholars say that the above narration is not authentic, and there is no mention of the Prayer of Tasbih or ‘Salaat ul Tasbih’ in any of the four major schools of thought.

Your Question: Could you advise if both practices are in fact Biddah and there will be a sin for this on the day of judgement?

If one prays the ‘salatul tasbeeh’ and his intention is to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), he will have his due reward from Allah Subhanah, Insha Allah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan