WHAT IS TASBIH?
In his work Al-Mufradat, the exegete Raghib states that the root of the word, Sebḥ, means "to move rapidly in water or in the air." Drawing from the sense of "moving away" inherent in it, the Qur'an used the word by giving it a new meaning. Thus, the meaning of tenzih (to declare Allah free from all imperfections) emerged. We will address this developed meaning here.
The word Tasbih is a masdar (verbal noun) derived from the root "s-b-h." A masdar is a noun that expresses the "action root" of a verb without specifying time or subject. In other words, we can think of them as the names of the actions performed.
In the Qur'an, the word tasbih appears as a noun in two places (Nur 41, Isra 44). When we look at these verses, we see it stated that all created beings perform tasbih to Allah.
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 and glorification(tasbih). And Allah has knowledge of all they do.
In the question "Do you not see that the birds in ranks and other beings perform tasbih?", the verb "tera" (to see) is not used in the sense of literal seeing, but in the sense of "realizing, reflecting, or perceiving." Just as in the verse below, these questions usually speak of intellectual perception rather than "physical" sight.
Have you not seen (O Prophet) how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant?
The attack mentioned in the verse took place approximately two months before the birth of the Messenger of Allah. That is, he never literally saw this event. Therefore, the meaning here is not "to see" with the eyes, but "Do you not know? Have you not reflected?" If the eye serves to look, looking to seeing, and seeing to realizing, then it is useful. The "seeing" here is the action of the reasoning heart that leads from the concrete to the abstract, from the seen to the unseen, from the work to its Master, from the action to the Actor, and from the art to the Artist.
The fact that He knows the tasbih of all created beings that follows is explained in another verse of tasbih as follows:
The seven heavens and the earth and all who dwell therein glorify Him. There is not a single thing but glorifies(perform tasbih) Him with His praise; but you do not understand(tefkahun) their glorification(tasbih). Truly, He is forbearing and most forgiving."
If tasbih in the sense we know consisted only of a command to glorify with words, then how would inanimate objects—which are included in all created things—and living beings that cannot speak, such as plants and animals, fulfill this command? The word to note in the verse is "tefkahun." This word means "to grasp, to understand, and to learn." In other words, it does not say "you cannot hear," but "you cannot understand." This means that everything, living and non-living, performing tasbih to Allah signifies performing a task or existing for the sake of Allah and in His name.
Tasbih can be anything, but it cannot be something that people have condemned to thoughtless, reflex-based tongue movements and numbers. Tasbih comes from the verb sebeha. The word sebeha belongs to a group of words where reversing the letters gives the opposite meaning. Its reverse is ha-be-se (habs); it means "he imprisoned, he remained motionless." Its opposite is se-be-ha; it means "he released, he moved." Therefore, the tasbih of beings means "beings acting in the name of Allah."
To help grasp the meaning further, let's look at the verbs derived from the s-b-h root, translated as "float/swim" in the following two verses:
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float(swim), each in an orbit.
"And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating(swimming).
As we explained above, the root Habs means "to hold, to leave motionless, to stop." Words in our language (Turkish) like hapis (prison), mahpus (prisoner), and hapishane (jail) all come from the same root. When we reverse the letters of the word, the meaning also reverses, and sebh expresses "continuous movement." This meaning is highlighted by the word "yesbehune" in the two verses above (36:40 and 21:33). This is the root meaning of the word tasbih.
By stating that the entire universe is in a state of tasbih, the Qur'an is simultaneously saying that the entire universe is "in motion." This is a miraculous piece of news.
When viewed macroscopically, the universe is in motion; when descending to the microscopic level, atoms and subatomic particles are also in motion. Even the smallest building blocks of a piece of stone in our hand are in motion. Even how atoms will or will not bond with each other is determined within certain rules. This is a beautiful example explaining how they know how to act in accordance with their purpose of creation.For example, oxygen in the composition of water is a combustion-supporting gas, while hydrogen is a flammable gas. Oxygen and hydrogen combine to form water, an extinguishing substance. For a human who learns this, there is nothing left to do but say Subhanallah.
"Every being in the universe glorifies (tasbih) by running the 'software' (fitrah/innate nature) that God has uploaded to it without deficiency. The glorification of a bee is making honey; the glorification of the sun is providing heat and light. The difference for a human is this: While other beings are in a state of involuntary (obligatory) glorification, the human is responsible for a voluntary glorification. That is, when a human protects their own 'orbit' by putting only God at the center by their own choice, they join that magnificent chorus of the universe.
There is one more subtle nuance here: Swimming, in the known sense, is an action where you will sink if you stop. Glorification (tasbih) is not a static state, but a continuous effort. To stay on top of the water, a continuous motion is required. The glorification of a human (acting in the name of Allah) can also be thought of as the active effort they display in order not to sink in the flow of life (inside the water), that is, not to be defeated by the weight of their soul (nafs) or the world."
Now, let's look at verses where tasbih is used as a verb in the Qur'an, rather than just the verbal noun. The passage leading up to the word "tasbih" in Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 28, is given below:
17-18. Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would surely harvest it in the morning, making no exception (for the will of Allah).
19. So a circling affliction from your Lord encompassed it while they were asleep.
20. And it became as if harvested (desolate).
21. Then they called out to one another at morning,
22. "Go early to your crop if you would harvest."
23-24. So they set out, whispering to one another: "No poor person shall enter it upon you today."
25. And they went early, determined in their purpose (as if they had power over all things).
26. But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost!"
27. "Nay! Rather, we are deprived!"
28. The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not perform tasbih (tusebbihune)?'"
29. They said, "Exalted is our Lord (subhane rabbina)! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
In the penultimate verse of the above sequence, we see that one of the garden owners pointed out that the result was due to the others' failure to perform tasbih; this shows that the verse is not related to tasbih in the sense we commonly know.
In the verses we studied, the garden owners made plans thinking that their Lord, who regulates everything in the universe, was unaware of their thoughts, and furthermore, we read that they avoided helping the poor. At this point, we see that the garden owners attributed a deficiency to Allah, such as "being unaware of their thoughts." In reality, they lacked the realization that Allah knows and sees everything. Moreover, by saying they would definitely harvest while ignoring Allah's will and assuming they had power over everything, they saw themselves as superior.
The main point emphasized is not the failure to glorify Allah with words, but their failure to set aside a share for the poor (failing to perform infak) from the crop they would obtain; that is, their garden was destroyed because they did not act for the sake of Allah and in His name. Thus, they acted contrary to their purpose of creation regarding the ethics of property and wealth. The purpose of giving property and wealth to humans is to share it with others in need. If they had acted in accordance with their purpose of creation—and thus showed the sensitivity to give the poor their rights within the produce—they would have been performing "tasbih." If the situation were such that the incident would not have happened just by glorifying Allah’s name with words, then a situation inconsistent with the message of the verses would have emerged.
"If glorification (tasbih) is "acting in the name of Allah," then the abandonment of glorification is the imprisonment of the soul, the mind, or the wealth. In the example of the owners of the garden, they abandoned glorification because they wanted to 'imprison' the wealth (not deliver it to the poor). Therefore, glorification is 'becoming liberated' by sharing. Hoarding, stinginess, and stagnation are a state of spiritual 'imprisonment'."
Of course, tasbih also appears in the Qur'an with the meaning of glorifying Allah by declaring Him munezzeh (free) from all deficiencies. However, because it is intended to explain that what is expected of a human is not just to recite the name of the Lord with words, but to manifest a consciousness and essentially perform works for and in the name of Allah, it is mentioned this way in the verse above.
When we move to another verse regarding the performance of tasbih, we see again that the meaning is not like the tasbih we know, which involves verbal repetition.
In the following group of verses, Prophet Musa (Moses) is commanded to go to Pharaoh. In response, Prophet Musa prays and asks for his brother Harun (Aaron) to help him, and the explanation follows in the subsequent verse: "so that we may glorify (tasbih) You much." Here, we can easily understand that Prophet Musa did not want his brother by his side just to perform the act of glorifying Allah with repetitive words while sitting together—that is, tasbih in the sense we know. Because there is no connection between the command to go to Pharaoh and this action. But when we think of the word tasbih as acting in the name of Allah, for Allah, and behaving in accordance with the purpose of creation, the request fits perfectly. Because Prophet Musa is a prophet. His purpose of creation and what he does for Allah is Tabligh (Conveying the message). In a situation where he must face Pharaoh, he asked for his brother as support from Allah for this task. And with the following verse, he states that together with his brother, they will mention and remember (dhikr) Allah more strongly in the presence of Pharaoh.
24. (Allah said): "Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed."
25. (Musa) said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast.
26. And ease for me my task.
27-28. And untie the knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech.
29-30. And appoint for me a minister (helper) from my family—Harun, my brother.
31. Increase through him my strength.
32. And let him share my task.
33. That we may glorify (tasbih) You much.
34. And remember You much.
35. Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing."
36. (Allah) said, "You have been granted your request, O Musa."
To praise something, it must first be fully understood whether the thing being praised is truly worthy of those praises. Therefore, the person who will offer praise must have knowledge about the subject they will praise so that they can offer praise in a true sense.
For example, can a person who is illiterate truly praise Turkish Nobel Prize-winning Chemistry Professor Aziz Sancar? It is not possible. How does someone who can read and write but does not understand chemistry praise him? They say something with their tongue, but what they feel in their heart is shallow. It is not a strong emotion. Only someone who is truly involved in chemistry and science can fully praise him. They can understand the value of what Aziz Sancar has done, appreciate his sacrifices on this path, and their respect for him deepens.
Our Lord created the universe and established a magnificent order. To be able to praise Him, we must understand His works well. In other words, we are obliged to read the Universe and the Qur'an well; we are obliged to perform our own tasbih. When we perform our own tasbih—that is, when we begin to understand the universe, humanity, and the Qur'an—our respect and awe (hashyah) for our Lord will increase manifold. Otherwise, one should ponder whether a tasbih performed by merely repeating certain words with beads in hand every second of a life devoid of this effort can reach its true purpose.
When we say "Subhanallah" (Glory be to Allah), we are actually transcending all the limited conceptions of Allah in our minds. To glorify Allah is to absolve Him from the idols we have created (including modern idols such as money, position, and power). If glorification is an action, then this action means "swimming" towards Allah's absolute authority by saying "no" to the false gods in life.
"Glorification is not only the rotation of celestial bodies in their orbits; it is also the 'flowing' of a human being without deviating from their own orbit of justice, mercy, and honesty. If a river stops flowing, it becomes stagnant (habs/imprisoned); if it flows, it remains pure and gives life (sebh/tasbih). That is why the Quran presents glorification as an action, a 'flow of life'."
Tasbih is knowing that Allah is free from all kinds of deficiencies and possesses all perfect attributes; it is taking action to recognize and introduce Allah with His unique attributes, especially His Oneness (tawhid). To perform tasbih to Allah is to engage in activities that will exalt Him with His unique attributes, purifying Him from all kinds of thoughts and beliefs that contain shirk (associating partners with Him). Giving meaning to tasbih as "pulling prayer beads" (counting beads) is an innovation (bid'ah) and a superstition.