The short answer: Salat al-Tasbih is a voluntary prayer of four rak'ahs in which you say the tasbih *SubhanAllah, walhamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar* 75 times in each rak'ah, 300 times in all. It is recorded in Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi from Ibn Abbas, with the Prophet ﷺ encouraging it once a day, a week, a month, a year, or at least once in a lifetime.
The tasbih
*Subhanallahi walhamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar.*
"Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest."
Method 1: as narrated from Ibn Abbas (Abu Dawud)
| Position in each rak'ah | Count |
|---|---|
| After reciting Al-Fatiha and a surah, before ruku' | 15 |
| In ruku', after the usual tasbih | 10 |
| Standing up from ruku' | 10 |
| In the first sujud | 10 |
| Sitting between the two sujud | 10 |
| In the second sujud | 10 |
| Sitting after the second sujud, before standing (or before tashahhud) | 10 |
| Total per rak'ah | 75 |
Method 2: as narrated from Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (Tirmidhi)
| Position in each rak'ah | Count |
|---|---|
| After the opening dua (thana), before Al-Fatiha | 15 |
| After Al-Fatiha and a surah, before ruku' | 10 |
| In ruku' | 10 |
| Standing up from ruku' | 10 |
| In the first sujud | 10 |
| Sitting between the two sujud | 10 |
| In the second sujud | 10 |
| Total per rak'ah | 75 |
In the second method there is no tasbih in the sitting after the second sujud. This method is the one most commonly taught in South Asia and in the Hanafi school. Either is fine; choose one and keep to it.
Step by step (four rak'ahs)
- Make the intention in your heart to pray four rak'ahs of Salat al-Tasbih.
- Pray the four rak'ahs as normal, adding the tasbih counts in the positions of the method you follow.
- Sit for tashahhud after two rak'ahs, then stand for the third and fourth, and finish with salam.
- Count on your fingers rather than aloud. If you forget a count in one position, many teachers advise making it up in the next position.
How often?
The narration encourages it once a day; if not, once every Friday; if not, once a month; if not, once a year; and if not, once in a lifetime. It may be prayed at any time except the times when voluntary prayer is disliked (sunrise, noon and sunset).
What scholars say about the hadith
Scholars have differed over the hadith of Salat al-Tasbih. A number of hadith scholars graded it acceptable (hasan or sahih), and it is widely practised, especially in the Hanafi and Shafi'i traditions. Others, including Imam Ahmad, considered its chains weak. Follow the scholars you trust; there is no harm in praying it as a voluntary prayer.
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