except on a prayer rug; indeed, he may even regard praying on anything else as forbidden and avoid it as he would anything unlawful. This resembles the practice of the People of the Book, who would pray only in their places of worship. Someone who prays only on coverings made for prayer resembles someone who prays only in places built for prayer. They may also make this a distinguishing mark of religious people, considering its abandonment a sign of deficient religious commitment and insufficient concern for prayer. They thus regard the practices they have invented, for which no authority has been revealed, as more perfect than the way of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions.

One of them may make a public display of carrying a prayer rug over his shoulder and holding prayer beads in his hand, treating this as an emblem of religion and prayer. Yet it is known through mass-transmitted reports that this was not the distinguishing practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions. They would glorify Allah and count on their fingers, as stated in the hadith:

“Count on your fingers, for they will be questioned and made to speak.”

Sometimes one of them would count his glorifications using pebbles or fruit stones.

As for glorifying Allah using prayer beads, some have disapproved of it, while others have permitted it. No one, however, has said that using them is better than counting on the fingers or by other means. Even if this were a recommended practice performed openly, deliberately displaying it and setting oneself apart from others by it is blameworthy. If it is not ostentation, it is an imitation of those who practise ostentation, for many who do this visibly show off. Had it been ostentation involving a prescribed practice, that would have been one of the two evils; but it is ostentation that is not