The misbaha is a bracelet made of 99 beads, each meant to represent the 99 names of Allah. People who follow Islam commonly use them during Dhikr and as a totem to ease worrying (hence the colloquial name “worry beads”). There are also 1 or 2 small beads dividing the chain of larger beads into 3 parts of 33 so you can keep track of how many times you’ve recited “Subhan Allah,” “Alhamdulillah,” and “Allhu Akbar.”
Hold the misbaha above the tail between your thumb and index finger. Place your thumb and index finger just above the tail (at the start of the ring of beads). Let the tail drape down near your palm. You can use whichever hand feels most comfortable for you.
- The tail is the extra string of beads that is separate from the circular bracelet of 99 beads.
Repeat “Subhan Allah” 1 time per bead, 33 times. Repeat the phrase aloud or in your mind 1 time while grasping a single bead between your thumb and index finger. Then, move your fingers to the next bead and repeat it again. Continue this process 31 more times until you’ve grasped 33 beads total and repeated the phrase 33 times.
- “Subhan Allah” means “glory be to Allah” and it’s meant to praise Allah for being above imperfection.
- Try to think of nothing but Allah as you recite this phrase.
Run your thumb and forefinger over the divider beads. The misbaha has divider beads to mark the 3 sections. The first divide made up of 1 or 2 beads comes after the first 33 regular beads. You don’t have to do anything special for the divider beads, it’s just a reminder to switch your focus to the next phrase.
- If you like, use this bead as a grounding “pause” to take a deep breath and allow your mind to focus wholly on Allah.
State “Alhamdulillah” 33 times while grasping 1 bead at a time. Hold the misbaha between your thumb and index finger and feed it through your fingers each time you repeat “Alhamdulillah” aloud or in your mind. Do this 33 times until your fingers meet the next divider bead.
- “Alhamdulillah” means “all thanks and praises be to Allah” and it’s a common prayer to express gratitude. It’s also something Islamic people might say after sneezing.
Shift your attention when you come to the divider beads again. Once your fingers touch the smaller beads dividing the last 33 and the next 33, get ready to recite the final part of Dhikr. You can pause over these beads to take a breath or go right into the next phrase.
- Avoid getting distracted or stopping altogether when you encounter the divider beads—they’re not meant to act as a bookmark or end point.
