What surprises a novice Muslim? Surprise he does not, because he knows that such things are common knowledge. Surprise a scholar by presenting him with a collection of traditional Moroccan handcrafted beads. For someone who has traveled to the Arabic lands and seen the adornments worn by the people there, the use of such simple, but stunning beads will come as no surprise. But what does surprise a Muslim at a mosque?
What surprised me was not the beads, but the innovation. While on a vacation in Morocco, I visited a school that taught musical instruments and one of the instruments they played was the tasbeeh (a simple wooden bowl). A Muslim would play it as part of their Friday Prayer. Their beads were made from black clay, and they were beautifully colored. A novice visitor would think the school was very spiritually inclined. When the master began explaining how to make the beads, it all made sense.
Importance of tasbih
The traditional Moroccan music, the tasbeeh, is used during the morning prayer. When the call to prayer is over, this is the time when this special song is played. This prayer is called “Nazar al-Rasool” or praise be unto Allah. It is performed standing, with hands and feet spread apart. The rhythm is slow and steady and is intoned in a simple, yet beautiful voice. A Muslim playing the tasbeeh gently inflames his fingers against the bowl in rhythm with the rhythm of the song.
The hand drum makes the beat of the tasbeeh. It is a simple drum but the wood it is made of is not common. The material is dark oily and the sound it produces is unlike any other drums you’ve ever heard. The tasbeeh is played by a male Muslim, or by an imam (pulpit).
It is believed that these beads were brought from Africa to the Islamic world by the Berbers. These beads were woven by the Muslims and became the popular decoration of their mosques. They were also brought from Europe to the Islamic countries. The Europeans put the beads into a glass and ground it into a powder. The Muslims mixed water with the mixture and made a drink known as “Rabia”.
The tradition continues today. Muslim women wear Rabia as well as the traditional attires of black gown and head scarf. Some are even known to wear gold and silver jewelry along with the Rabia headscarf. If the beads are loose, then they are wrapped in gold or silver coins. The women wear Rabia for long lengths of time. The reason is that this is considered to be an auspicious garment.
Perosnalised Tasbih
The personalised tasbeeh which is usually worn by Muslim women can have different looks. Some of the women like to have a very simple style with no decoration at all and this is known as “Rabia Tawheed” or a simple style. Other women like to add more to their tasbeeh, and for them, the most amazing thing about the surprising Islamic fashion is that you can add a necklace or a bracelet to their tasbeeh. These are called “Rabia Mukhta”.
You can choose any style or color you want and be able to make a unique fashion statement. This is one of the reasons that the Islamic community has accepted this type of bead as a form of religious fashion. It brings the religion closer to the everyday lives of Muslim women. When they wear their prayer tasbeeh, it does not mean that they are tied to anyone, but it means that they are free. Each and every woman should feel the freedom to choose and be free, especially when it comes to their own looks.
If you have a beard and you are looking for a way to keep it long this year then one option that you should look into is the use of a personalised tasbeeh for Muslim men. This type of headgear is also called the hijab by many people because it covers all the facial hair from the front, back, and sides. It is known as a scarf and in Arabic, it is called djellaba. You will see people who wear djellaba as they go to prayer in mosques all over the world.
Advantage of Tasbeeh
One of the advantages of wearing a personalized veil or headgear is that you can use it to add to your style without having to change your clothing. There are many styles to choose from and there are some which come with beads, pins and other items to use to personalize them for you. You can find many different types of jilbabs online from different manufacturers. These can be made from cotton, polyester, silk, and other fabrics. Many companies offer different methods of embroidery on the headgear to make them more attractive to the eye.
If you are wearing the headgear as a wrap, it can also be used as a headband when you are doing your hair. The veil and headband should not touch while you are doing this because that can lead to the risk of infection. You do not have to always wear a veil and headgear to get the best effects. Some people like to do it only when they are going out for the day. For extra protection, you could always use a hat or a bandana.