Tasbih (glorifying God, the formula of praise in worship)

Tasbih is declaring God free of every defect. Its rule is recommendation at all times. ^{1 2}

In the language tasbih is declaring someone free of defect; it is also used for remembrance, prayer and praise. In law it is declaring the Real free of the defects of contingency and origin. ¹ Tasbih is wider than tahlil; taqdis adds purification and blessing. Dhikr is wider than tasbih. The purpose is to bring God's greatness to mind so that the heart is filled with awe and humbles itself; reflection on the words is required. ²

Moderation in the voice is recommended, on the verse "neither loudly nor in a whisper, but seek a way between". ³ Outside prayer it may be done with the hand, pebbles or a rosary; in prayer it is disliked, though Abu Yusuf and Muhammad allow it. Counting on the fingers is better than the rosary. There is no fixed time for remembrance; it is lawful always, and in the morning and evening, after prayers and at an eclipse. ^{3 8 4}

Glorifying at the opening of prayer is a sunna for the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis; the Malikis do not hold it. ⁴ In bowing it is a sunna for the Hanafis in the well-known view, recommended for the Shafi'is, and an obligation at least once for the Hanbalis, with three as the sunna; the same applies to prostration. The bowing formula names the Lord the Great, the prostration the Lord the Most High. ^{5 9} A follower who wants to remind the imam of an error says a glorification if he is a man, and claps if she is a woman, on the hadith that clapping is for women and whoever is troubled in prayer should say glory be to God; the Malikis forbid clapping for women. ^{9 6}

Speaking the glorification is disliked in the latrine, in unclean places, during intercourse and in the bath; during the sermon it is disliked by the Hanafis and forbidden for the Malikis in quantity. The Malikis and Hanbalis say it does not spoil the prayer. ^{6 10 11} Raising the voice in glorification before a bier is disliked, since the Companions disliked raising the voice at funerals. ⁷

Glorifying at thunder is recommended: the saying of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, glory be to Him whom the thunder glorifies with praise. Exclaiming with the word glory is allowed, as in the Prophet ﷺ's words that the believer is not unclean. ^{11 7 12} The reward for it is great, on the hadith that whoever says glory be to God and praise Him a hundred times a day has his sins dropped. ¹²