Common questions
Direct answers to the questions people ask most often about dhikr, tasbih, and Islamic remembrance. Sourced. No hedging.
Can I do dhikr on my period?
Yes. Verbal dhikr is unrestricted during menstruation. You can freely say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, and istighfar throughout the day.
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Can I do dhikr while lying down?
Yes. Dhikr is permitted in any posture. The Quran in Surah Al Imran 3:191 commends those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides.
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Can dhikr be done silently?
Yes. Silent dhikr is fully valid, and in many contexts is preferred. Reward is tied to sincerity and presence, not to volume.
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How many times should I say SubhanAllah?
33 times immediately after every prescribed prayer, as part of Tasbih Fatimah (33 subhanallah, 33 alhamdulillah, 34 allahu akbar). Beyond that there is no cap.
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Does istighfar increase wealth?
Yes, that is the plain reading of Surah Nuh 71:10-12. Istighfar is tied in the Quran to rain, wealth, children, and gardens. It is a means, not a magic trick.
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Is a digital tasbih allowed in Islam?
Yes. Counting dhikr on a device, on beads, or on fingers is all permitted. The intention and the phrase are what matter, not the counting tool.
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Can Christians or non-Muslims say astaghfirullah?
The word means "I seek forgiveness from Allah." Non-Muslims can quote or study it. Regular use as personal worship is a Muslim practice.
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Can I count dhikr on my left hand?
The Sunnah is the right hand. Counting on the left is valid but not preferred. A digital counter or beads sidestep the hand question entirely, because you are tapping a tool, not counting on skin.
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Can I do dhikr in the bathroom?
Verbal dhikr is discouraged in the bathroom out of respect for Allah's names. Silent remembrance in the heart is fine. Wait until you leave to say the phrases aloud or to tap a counter.
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Do I need wudu to do dhikr?
No. Wudu is not required for dhikr. It is required for salah and, per most scholars, for touching the physical Mus-haf. Dhikr in any state of purity is valid, and being in wudu is better.
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What is the best time for dhikr?
The strongest windows are after Fajr and after Asr for morning and evening adhkar, immediately after each of the five prescribed prayers, and the last third of the night. Any time is valid.
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Does dhikr count if I lose track of the number?
Yes, every phrase you said is recorded. If you cannot recall the exact number in a fixed count like 33, act on the lesser and top up. A digital counter removes the doubt in the first place.
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Can I do dhikr in English or my own language?
The specific rewarded phrases (subhanallah, alhamdulillah, allahu akbar, la ilaha illa Allah, astaghfirullah) are the Arabic forms and should be said in Arabic. Personal dua, praise, and reflection are valid in any language you feel deeply.
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Can I do dhikr while driving?
Yes. Dhikr while driving is one of the best uses of otherwise-idle time. Keep it verbal, keep your eyes on the road, and either count on your fingers or use a hands-free digital tasbih on a mounted phone.
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Can I do dhikr while walking?
Yes. Dhikr while walking is Sunnah. Surah Al Imran 3:191 commends remembering Allah in every posture, and walking counts as standing. Silent or under-the-breath is best in public spaces.
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How many beads are in a tasbih?
A tasbih usually has 99 beads (matching the 99 Names of Allah), 33 (one-third of Tasbih Fatimah), or 100 (a round daily wird). Two markers divide a 99-bead string into three sections of 33, so the same string counts 33 · 33 · 34.
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What is the reward for saying SubhanAllah 100 times?
The Prophet said, "Whoever says subhanallahi wa bihamdih 100 times a day has his sins wiped away, even if they were like the foam of the sea" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6405, Sahih Muslim 2691). A related report adds 100 good deeds recorded and 100 sins removed for anyone who says subhanallah 100 times.
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Is tasbih mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. The Arabic root s-b-h (سبح), from which tasbih is derived, appears more than 90 times in the Quran. Verses like Surah al-Waqi`ah 56:96 and Surah al-Isra 17:44 explicitly command tasbih.
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What to recite when you can't sleep?
Say: "Allāhumma ghārati al-nujūm, wa hada`ati al-`uyūn, wa anta ḥayyun qayyūm." (O Allah, the stars have set and the eyes have quieted, and You are the Ever-Living, the Sustainer). Recite Ayatul Kursi and the last two verses of al-Baqarah. If sleep still does not come, do 33 subhanallah, 33 alhamdulillah, 34 allahu akbar (Sahih Muslim 2727).
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Can I give the reward of my dhikr to someone who has died?
Most scholars permit gifting the reward of dhikr, sadaqah, and Quran recitation to the deceased, and it reaches them. Direct dua for them is unanimously permitted and encouraged by the Quran and Sunnah.
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Is there a limit to how much dhikr I can do?
No. Surah al-Ahzab 33:41 commands remembering Allah with much remembrance. Fixed counts like 33 or 100 are minimums for specific occasions, not caps. You can do as much dhikr as you want, in any state, at any time.
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Does dhikr erase major sins?
Dhikr and small acts of worship erase minor sins. Major sins (kaba'ir) require sincere tawbah: stopping the sin, regret, and firm intention not to return, plus restitution to the wronged if a person was harmed. Dhikr strengthens the heart towards that repentance.
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What is the difference between dhikr and dua?
Dhikr is remembering Allah, usually through fixed phrases like subhanallah, alhamdulillah, allahu akbar. Dua is asking Allah, in any language, for any need. All dua contains dhikr (you praise Allah before asking), but not all dhikr is dua.
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What dua should I say before eating?
Say bismillah (in the name of Allah) before you start eating. If you forget and remember partway through, say: bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirah (in the name of Allah, at its start and its end). Reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 3767.
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What dua should I say after eating?
Say alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah). The longer sunnah form is: alhamdulillahi al-ladhi at`amana wa saqana wa ja`alana muslimin (praise be to Allah who fed us, gave us drink, and made us Muslims). Reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 3850.
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What dua should I say when entering my home?
Say bismillah as you enter, then give salam to whoever is inside (say bismillah out loud so the household knows you have entered). The Prophet said this prevents Shaytan from sharing the household's night lodging and food (Sahih Muslim 2018).
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What dua should I say when leaving the house?
Say: bismi‑llah, tawakkaltu `ala‑llah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi‑llah (in the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, there is no power or strength except by Allah). Reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 5095. The angel says you have been guided, protected, and sufficed, and Shaytan withdraws.
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What dua should I say when entering the bathroom?
Before entering, say: allahumma inni a`udhu bika min al-khubthi wa al-khaba'ith (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from male and female evil beings). Say it just outside, then step in with your left foot. After leaving, say: ghufranaka (I seek Your forgiveness). Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 142 and Sunan al-Tirmidhi 7.
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What do you say when someone sneezes in Islam?
The sneezer says: alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah). Whoever hears replies: yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you). The sneezer then replies back: yahdikum Allah wa yuslih balakum (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 6224.
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What dua should I say when it rains?
Say: allahumma sayyiban nafi`an (O Allah, a beneficial downpour). Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 1032. Rain is a time when dua is answered (Sunan Abi Dawud 2540, hasan), so this is also a moment to ask Allah for anything you need.
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What dua should I say when I hear thunder?
Say: subḥāna‑lladhī yusabbiḥu al-ra`du bi-ḥamdih (glory to the One whom thunder glorifies with His praise). Reported by Malik in al-Muwatta. Surah al-Ra`d 13:13 confirms that thunder itself glorifies Allah.
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What dua should I say when entering the mosque?
Enter with the right foot and say: allahumma iftaḥ lī abwāba raḥmatik (O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy). When leaving, use the left foot and say: allahumma innī as'aluka min faḍlik (O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty). Reported in Sahih Muslim 713.
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Is using a tasbih haram or bidah?
No. Counting dhikr on beads, fingers, stones, or a digital counter is permitted by the majority of scholars across all four madhhabs. The Prophet ﷺ used his fingers, and companions used pebbles. The tool is a counting aid, not an act of worship in itself.
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What is the difference between dhikr and dua?
Dhikr is remembering Allah using set phrases (SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, Astaghfirullah). Dua is asking Allah for something, in Arabic or your own language. Every dua contains dhikr (you praise before you ask), but not every dhikr is a dua.
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What is the difference between inshallah and mashallah?
Inshallah (إن شاء الله) means 'if Allah wills' and is said about the future. Mashallah (ما شاء الله) means 'what Allah has willed' and is said about something good that has already happened, to acknowledge that it is from Allah and to seek protection from the evil eye.
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Is it spelled tasbih, tasbeeh, tesbih, or tasbi?
They are all the same Arabic word تَسْبِيح, spelled different ways in English. Tasbih is the modern academic standard. Tasbeeh is common in South Asian English. Tesbih is Turkish. All refer to glorifying Allah, and by extension the beads used to count that glorification.
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What does Astaghfirullah mean and when should I say it?
Astaghfirullah (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّه) means 'I seek Allah's forgiveness'. Say it after any sin, three times after every prescribed prayer, and as a daily wird throughout the day. The Prophet ﷺ, who was sinless, said it 70 to 100 times a day (Sahih al-Bukhari 6307, Sahih Muslim 2702).
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How do you do dhikr, step by step?
Pick one phrase, set a count, say it slowly with attention to the meaning, and repeat at the same time every day. There is no ritual requirement: no wudu, no direction, no fixed posture. Start with subhanallah 33, alhamdulillah 33, allahu akbar 34 after each prayer.
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What do you say after each prayer?
Say astaghfirullah three times, then Allahumma anta al-Salam wa minka al-salam, then Ayatul Kursi, then subhanallah 33 times, alhamdulillah 33 times, allahu akbar 34 times, and close with la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah once.
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What is a wird?
A wird (وِرْد) is a fixed daily portion of dhikr, dua, or Quran that you commit to and repeat without fail. The word originally means a turn at a watering place. Your wird is the amount you draw each day.
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What is the best dhikr for forgiveness?
Sayyidul Istighfar is the strongest single phrase, reported as a guarantee of Paradise for whoever says it with certainty in the morning and dies that day (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). For daily volume, use astaghfirullah wa atubu ilayh, and subhanallah wa bihamdihi one hundred times, which erases sins even if they were like the foam of the sea (Sahih al-Bukhari 6405).
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What happens if you say Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi 100 times?
Whoever says subhanallahi wa bihamdihi one hundred times in a day has their sins wiped away, even if they were like the foam of the sea (Sahih al-Bukhari 6405, Sahih Muslim 2691). It takes under two minutes.
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What are the benefits of saying La ilaha illallah 100 times?
Whoever says la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir one hundred times a day receives the reward of freeing ten slaves, one hundred good deeds, one hundred sins erased, and protection from Shaytan for that day (Sahih al-Bukhari 3293, Sahih Muslim 2691).
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How many times should I say Durood Sharif a day?
There is no obligatory fixed number. The sourced habit is ten in the morning and ten in the evening, which brings the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ (al-Tabarani). Many keep a daily wird of one hundred, and increase heavily on Friday.
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Is there specific dhikr for pregnancy?
No dhikr is prescribed specifically for pregnancy in authentic sources. What is established is general remembrance: istighfar, salawat, subhanallah wa bihamdihi, Ayatul Kursi, and personal dua for the wellbeing of mother and child in any language.
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What dhikr helps with anxiety?
The three most directly sourced are la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakeel, and Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min al-hammi wa al-hazan. The Quran states plainly that hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah (Surah al-Ra'd 13:28).
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What does 33 33 34 mean on a tasbih?
33 means subhanallah thirty three times, the second 33 means alhamdulillah thirty three times, and 34 means allahu akbar thirty four times. Together they make one hundred, said after each obligatory prayer. This is the Tasbih of Fatimah (Sahih Muslim 596).
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