Tasbih
Stone Tasbih: How to Choose Gemstone Prayer Beads تسبیح
In short: A gemstone tasbih is a strand of 33 or 99 prayer beads, cut from natural stone, for counting dhikr. The traditional stones are aqeeq, feroza and Dur-e-Najaf, and tiger eye, hematite and lapis are popular too. Choose by bead size, weight and how evenly the beads match, and watch for glass beads, which give themselves away with bubbles.
A gemstone tasbih is a strand of 33 or 99 prayer beads cut from natural stone and used for counting dhikr. Aqeeq, feroza and Dur-e-Najaf are the traditional stones, and tiger eye, hematite and lapis are popular as well. You can look at the loose aqeeq, feroza and Dur-e-Najaf that the beads are cut from.
- Bead counts
- 33 or 99
- Traditional stones
- Aqeeq, feroza, Dur-e-Najaf
- Also used
- Tiger eye, hematite, lapis lazuli
On the tray today
Stones used for tasbih
AqeeqFerozaDur-e-NajafTiger EyeHematiteLapis LazuliSulemani Agate
Written by Sameer
Reviewed on
Traditional belief vs gemmology: anything on this page about luck, protection, planets, healing or religious tradition describes traditional and cultural beliefs — not proven effects, religious rulings or medical advice. A stone's identity, hardness, treatment and origin are gemmology, which a lab can test; the references at the end of the page cover that side.
Which stones make a tasbih
The beads in a stone tasbih are cut from the very same natural stones that we list individually. Look through our aqeeq, feroza, Dur-e-Najaf and tiger eye to compare colours, and if you have a particular stone or bead size in mind, send us a message on WhatsApp.
Choosing between 33 and 99 beads
A 99-bead tasbih follows the 99 names of Allah and is the one people reach for during longer dhikr. The 33-bead version is smaller and slips easily into a pocket. It is the usual choice for Tasbih-e-Fatima after prayer: SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times. Many strands have a small marker bead after every 33 beads and a longer head bead known as the imam.
The stones, one by one
- Aqeeq: the most traditional of all, in red, brown, black or banded Sulemani agate. Read our Islamic gemstones guide.
- Feroza: sky-blue turquoise, cherished in Persian and Shia tradition. Read our feroza guide.
- Dur-e-Najaf: beads of clear quartz associated with Najaf. Read our Dur-e-Najaf guide.
- Tiger eye: golden-brown beads crossed by a band of light that moves as you turn them. Browse tiger eye.
- Hematite: weighty, metallic grey beads that sit firmly in the hand. Browse hematite.
- Lapis lazuli: deep blue Lajward flecked with golden pyrite. Browse lapis lazuli.
What to check before you buy
- Bead size: small beads make a good pocket tasbih, while bigger beads are easier for older fingers to count.
- Weight: hematite is heavy, quartz and agate sit in the middle, and feroza is light.
- How well the beads match: natural stone varies, so an evenly matched strand takes more sorting and is worth more.
- Real stone: glass beads have bubbles and warm up quickly; plastic feels light and warm. Ask whether the beads are dyed, which is common with agate.
- Thread: strong nylon or silk, with knots between some of the beads, will last longer.
Looking after your tasbih
Clean the beads with a soft, dry cloth. Feroza and lapis are both soft and porous, so keep them away from water, attar and soap. Hematite can rust if it stays damp. Keep the tasbih in its own pouch so harder beads cannot scratch softer ones, and get it restrung as soon as the thread starts to look tired.
References
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