Rosary made of the turbat of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)

Text and Translation

It is most favorable to count the number of the statements of Tasbeeh al-Zahra with a rosary (a string of 100 beads) made of the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb, which is a tradition in all religious rites. It is also recommended to carry at all times such a rosary, which protects from misfortunes and brings about endless rewards.

It is reported that the rosary of Lady Fatimah (a.s.) was made of woolen knotted string. She used to turn it with her hand while uttering statements of glorifying and professing Almighty Allah’s all-greatness. When Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred, she made a rosary from the soil of his tomb, and people followed her in that. When Imam al-Husayn - the master of martyrs (a.s.) was martyred, people used rosaries made of the soil of his tomb. In this respect, the Awaited Imam (a.t.f.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever forgets to mention Almighty Allah while having a rosary made of the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb in the hand, the reward of remembrance will be recorded for him.”

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “A rosary that is made of the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb glorifies Almighty Allah in the hand of its bearer although the bearer does not say anything.”

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is also reported as saying, “Whoever turns a bead of a rosary made of the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb and implores Almighty Allah’s forgiveness one time, Almighty Allah will record for him the reward of imploring His forgiveness seventy times. If one holds that rosary in the hand without saying anything, seven rewards for each bead will be recorded for him.”

According to another form of this tradition, “If one turns the bead uttering a statement of mentioning Almighty Allah, forty rewards for each bead will be recorded for him.”

It is also reported that the Paradisiacal Women (i.e. al-Hur al-I’n), whenever they see an angel descending to the earth for any mission, ask him to bring them rosaries and prostration-clays made of the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb.

In an authentic tradition, Imam Moosa al-Kazim (a.s.) is reported to have said, “A true believer must not be lacking five things: a teeth-brushing stick (i.e. siwak), a comb, a prostration rug, a thirty-four bead rosary, and a ring whose stone is made of agate.”

Apparently, a pottery rosary is merited, too, although it is preferable that this rosary is made of fireless pottery.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever glorifies Almighty Allah with a rosary of the clay of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.)’s tomb, Almighty Allah will record for him four hundred rewards, erase four hundred sins he has committed, grant him four hundred requests, and raise him four hundred ranks.”

It is also reported that the string of such rosaries may advisably be blue. Some narrations have suggested that it is better for women to use their fingertips in counting, but the narrations that have reported the recommendation of using rosaries made of clay are bigger in number and more authentic.