ABOUT THE COMMAND TO "GLORIFY" (TASBIH)
When we examine the words derived from the same root and used as verbs, we see that there is a direct command in the form of "glorify" (tasbih).
At this point, although "glorify" appears as a distinct command in the Quran, Prophet and tradition have generally fulfilled this command through "salat" (ritual prayer).
Regarding the command to "glorify," for which no specific method of application is explicitly detailed, one certainly cannot say it cannot be performed as salat. However, Allah has not restricted tasbih, leaving a much broader field of application for humanity. Fulfilling this command in the form of salat is a choice. For that era, it was the most perfect choice for the Prophet and his companions.
Even today, there is no sense in questioning those who wish to practice it this way. However, the accumulation of human knowledge and the nature of life have progressively changed and taken on a different state. With technologies at our fingertips that reach people on the other side of the world instantly, we have the chance to access more books than a library. At this juncture, the way for the Muslim world to exalt Allah’s name should be to produce works and deeds in the name of Allah. It should be Muslims who find, prove, and reveal the greatness of His name in the universe, the world, and in living things; but unfortunately, the ummah (community) has been condemned to prayer beads.
As seen in the verse below, salat and tasbih are used in the same sentence. If these were the same thing, tasbih and salat would not be used together; it would be an unnecessary repetition.
Do you not see that Allah is glorified(perform tasbih) by all those in the heavens and the earth, even the birds as they soar? Each knows their manner of prayer(salat) and glorification(tasbih). And Allah has knowledge of all they do.
Furthermore, the verses below state that glorification should be done following prostrations, indicating it is something distinct from the ritual prayer itself.
39.So be patient, [O Muhammad], over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting,
40.And [in part] of the night exalt Him and after prostration.
Another point regarding the command to "glorify" is the mention of specific times in certain verses of the Quran. Just as with salat, the answer to the question of when believers should glorify is provided. Regarding salat, Allah revealed the following verse, binding the act of salat to specific times; however, it is not mentioned in the Quran that tasbih is an obligatory duty (fard) to be applied strictly with time constraints.
"And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times."
The verses containing specific times are listed below. These were revealed during the process before salat was established as five daily prayers. This indicates that the command to glorify has an aspect that prepares a person for salat. A person can perform tasbih by gaining the necessary consciousness of Allah. We can conclude that a person who can perform tasbih—that is, who can exalt Allah by keeping Him free from all imperfections (münezzeh)—can fulfill the prayer in a conscious manner.
Surah Taha, Verse 130
"...and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night exalt [Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied."
Surah Qaf, Verses 39-40
"So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting. And [in part] of the night exalt Him and after prostration."
Surah At-Tur, Verse 49
"And in a part of the night exalt Him and after [the setting of] the stars."
Surah Al-Insan, Verse 26
"And of the night, prostrate to Him and exalt Him a long [part of the] night."
Surah At-Tur, Verse 48
"And be patient, [O Muhammad], for the decision of your Lord, for indeed, you are in Our eyes. And exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord when you arise."
Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 17-18
"So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning. And to Him is [due all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And [exalt Him] at night and when you are at noon."
Surah Sad, Verse 18
"Indeed, We subjected the mountains [to exalt] with him, exalting [Allah] in the late afternoon and [at] sunrise."
Surah Al-Ghafir (Mumin), Verse 55
"So be patient, [O Muhammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning."
Surah Al-Imran, Verse 41
"...'Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him] with praise in the evening and the morning.'"
Some scholars have used these verses to determine the necessary times for salat. However, if that were the case, while "salat" is used in many places in the Quran, why would the word "tasbih"—which points to a distinct word and meaning—be used specifically? One should keep in mind the example given below to describe the greatness of our Lord's words. If one word is preferred over another, there is a special reason for it.
"Say, 'If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if we brought the like of it as a supplement.'"
Furthermore, deriving the meaning of "salat" from "tasbih" would cause tasbih to carry the prerequisites of salat, such as performing ablution (wudu) or turning toward the Qibla. However, there is no verse stating that a prerequisite is needed to glorify Allah.
Additionally, there are verses in the form of "glorify morning and evening" to emphasize continuity.
Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 42
"And exalt Him morning and afternoon."
Surah Al-Fath, Verses 8-9
"Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. That you [people] may believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor Him and respect Him and exalt Him morning and afternoon."
Surah An-Nur, Verse 36
"[Such niches are] in houses which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings..."
Surah Maryam, Verse 11
"So he came out to his people from the sanctuary and signaled to them to 'Exalt [Allah] morning and afternoon.'"
In conclusion, tasbih can be performed as a part of salat. However, we cannot infer that tasbih is salat, or that the command to "glorify" is strictly a command to "perform salat."
Along with the command to glorify, there is also the command: "Glorify the name of your Lord." The relevant verses are provided below:
Surah Al-Waqi'a, Verse 74: "So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great (Al-Azim)."
Surah Al-Waqi'a, Verse 96: "So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great (Al-Azim)."
Surah Al-Haqqa, Verse 52: "So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great (Al-Azim)."
Surah Al-A'la, Verse 1: "Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High (Al-A'la)."
The words translated as "Great" or "High" in the verses above are the two names Al-A'la and Al-Azim. The important issue here is the instructions given by the Messenger of Allah after these verses were revealed. For one, he commanded, "Put this in the prostrations (sujud) of your prayers," and for the other, "Put this in the bowing (ruku) of your prayers."
Applying this command as a sunnah, the Messenger of Allah practiced it by saying "Subhane rabbiye'l-a'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in the prostration of the prayer and "Subhane rabbiye'l-azim" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great) in the bowing of the prayer.
The way the Messenger of Allah applied this command in his sunnah is noteworthy. If we briefly set aside the fact that hadiths were narrated by meaning (mana) rather than verbatim (lafzan), we can make the following comment on the literal wording of this narration:
Continuing from the verse where the name Al-A'la appears, the verse commands: "Sebbih isme rabbike'l-a'la" (Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High!). However, the Messenger of Allah practices this command as: "Subhane rabbiye'l-a'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High).
Yet, the verse commands the glorification of the Lord’s 'name'. The exact correspondence of this command should be "I glorify the name of my Lord, the Most High." But in his practice, the Messenger of Allah did not mention the word "name" (ism); he directly mentioned the Lord’s sublimity. Keeping in mind that one of the root meanings of ism is sumuv (loftiness, greatness), we can say: By practicing the verse this way, the Messenger of Allah emphasized that the command "Glorify the name of your Lord!" essentially means "Glorify your Lord, the Most High!" This is because the essence is not merely saying certain words with the tongue, but nesting the meaning they carry into the heart that reasons.
According to the practice of the Messenger, tasbih is not a "remembrance" consisting merely of the verbal repetition of certain words. What is intended is for the meaning carried by those words to settle and find stability in the heart—which is the protector of faith—and from there, transform into faith, wisdom (irfan), piety (taqwa), and righteous deeds. This is the essence of "realizing/comprehending" (ihsa) in the Prophet’s hadith: "Allah has 99 names; whoever ihsa (comprehends/internalizes) them will enter Paradise." If the Messenger of Allah had not understood the divine command in the first verse of Surah Al-A'la in this way, his practice of this verse would not have been "subhane rabbiye'l-a'la," but rather "subhane'smi rabbiye'l-a'la" (I glorify the name of my Lord, the Most High).