Tasbihat al-Zahra (Fatimah's Tasbih)
A special dhikr consisting of 34+33+33 repetitions, taught by the Prophet to his daughter Fatimah.
Tasbihat al-Zahra (Arabic: تسبيحات الزهراء), also known as Tasbih Fatimah al-Zahra, is one of the most important dhikr practices in Shia Islam. It consists of three sets of repetitions: 34 times "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest), 33 times "Alhamdulillah" (All praise belongs to Allah), and 33 times "SubhanAllah" (Glory be to Allah) — a total of 100 glorifications.
This tasbih was taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) to his beloved daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), when she asked for a servant to help with household work. The Prophet said to her: "Shall I not teach you something that is better than a servant? Say Allahu Akbar 34 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and SubhanAllah 33 times before you sleep." This narration is found in Al-Kafi by Shaykh al-Kulayni (vol. 3) and in Bihar al-Anwar by Allamah al-Majlisi (vol. 83).
In Shia tradition, it is strongly recommended (mustahab mu'akkad) to recite Tasbihat al-Zahra after every obligatory prayer. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Tasbihat al-Zahra after every prayer is dearer to me than a thousand rak'ah of voluntary prayer per day" (Al-Kafi, vol. 3, Kitab al-Salah).
The order is important according to Shia scholars: one begins with takbir (Allahu Akbar), then tahmid (Alhamdulillah), and finally tasbih (SubhanAllah). Many Shia Muslims use a tasbih chain (misbaha) with 34 beads to keep count. This dhikr combines praise, gratitude and glorification of Allah and is considered a spiritual gift from the Prophet's household to the believer.
Related terms
Eid al-Ghadir (The Ghadir Festival)
Shia festival commemorating the Prophet's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor.
Taslim (Concluding Greeting)
The concluding peace greeting that marks the end of the prayer.
Arba'een (The 40th Day)
The 40th day after Imam Husayn's martyrdom, marked by the world's largest pilgrimage.
Salawat (Blessings Upon the Prophet)
Blessings and peace upon the Prophet Muhammad and his family.
Sunan Ibn Majah (Ibn Majah's Hadith Collection)
The sixth of the canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam with unique narrations.
Qasr (Shortened Prayer)
The permission to shorten the four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ah during travel.