What is the tasbih after prayer (33/33/34)?
After each obligatory prayer, many Muslims say Subḥān Allāh 33 times, Al-ḥamdu lillāh 33 times and Allāhu akbar 34 times, one hundred in all, a form narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 596. Another narration, Muslim 597, completes 33 of each with the tahlīl instead. Both are recorded; follow the form you were taught.
The three phrases
- سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ Subḥān Allāh: the tasbīḥ, declaring God free of every imperfection.
- ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ Al-ḥamdu lillāh: the taḥmīd, all praise belongs to God. It is also the second verse of the Qur'an.
- ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ Allāhu akbar: the takbīr, God is greater, or greatest; both renderings are established.
33, 33 and 34
In the narration of Kaʿb ibn ʿUjra in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 596, the phrases said after every obligatory prayer are tasbīḥ thirty-three times, taḥmīd thirty-three times and takbīr thirty-four times. The thirty-fourth takbīr makes the hundred.
33 of each, and the tahlīl
In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 597, each phrase is said thirty-three times, ninety-nine in all, and the hundred is completed with lā ilāha illā-llāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu…, the tahlīl. This is the form Japa's library follows. Other authentic narrations give other numbers, such as the form in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 843; none of these makes the others wrong.
Fatima's tasbih at bedtime
The same three phrases, with thirty-four takbīr, are also taught for bedtime in the narration of Fāṭima and ʿAlī, in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3705 and 5361. That is why the 33/33/34 pattern is often called the tasbīḥ of Fāṭima.
Counting it
The count is kept on the fingers, on the right hand in the practice the Prophet is reported to have used, or on a misbaḥa of thirty-three or ninety-nine beads. On a counter, count three rounds: 33, 33, then 34, or 33 three times and the closing formula once.
Print a card
The printable tasbih card has the three phrases in Arabic with transliteration and meaning, a row of circles for each and a note on both forms, two cards to a page, as a free PDF.
Questions
Is it 33 or 34 Allahu Akbar after prayer?
Both are narrated. Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 596 gives 34 takbīr; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 597 gives 33 and completes the hundred with the tahlīl. Follow the form you were taught.
Is the tasbih after prayer obligatory?
It is a recommended dhikr reported from the Prophet, not one of the obligatory parts of the prayer. Ask a scholar you trust about your own practice.
Can I count the tasbih on my fingers instead of beads?
Yes. Counting on the fingers of the right hand is reported from the Prophet's own practice, and many people prefer it to a misbaḥa.
Read the texts
Sources
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 596, narration of Kaʿb ibn ʿUjra (33, 33 and 34)
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 597, completing the hundred with the tahlīl
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 843, a variant post-prayer form
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3705 and 5361, the bedtime tasbīḥ of Fāṭima
- Qur'an 1:2, for the taḥmīd
- Japa practice library, Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar
Count it in Japa
Japa keeps each phrase in Arabic script with a transliteration, and counts it in rounds of 33, 99 or any size you set, with a haptic for every count. The free online tasbih counter also offers a round of 34 for the last takbīr.
Counting is free and unlimited on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. No account, no ads, no subscription. Japa is an independent app and is not endorsed by any teacher, lineage or community.