Origin Of The Material:

“Use the Oud, for it cures seven diseases” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 5713)

Oud Agarwood, also known as liquid gold, as well as Aloeswood in the Bible, is a wood that was used through its many forms by Prophets from the Divine Scriptures such as Isa (Jesus), and the Seal of all Prophets, Sayyidina Muhammad. It was also mentioned in The Vedas, which perhaps is one of the oldest scriptures in the world, so its origin dates back tens of thousands of years ago. The wood is also mentioned in The Chronicles Of Japan, which is the second oldest book on Japanese history. It is formed in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees when they become infected with a type of mold and secrete a resin to combat the mold. Prior to this infection, the heartwood is odourless, relatively light, and quite pale in colour; however, as the infection progresses the tree produces a dark aromatic resin called aloes. This fragrance it emits can only be described as a scent from paradise, though in some cases the aroma can be quite subtle as there are many factors which play a role in the aroma. It is also mentioned that in the past, its bark was also used to prepare a writing material called Sanchipat for writing history, mythology, folk songs, medicinal and Holy Scriptures.

Quick Facts:

- Its root extract was also used to treat issues pertaining to the stomach, lungs & liver

- To the present day it is still used in tradition Chinese herbal medicine

- The prophet Muhammad mentioned it was a cure for 7 diseases

- It is used as a treatment for various skin diseases

- It is used as an anti-inflammatory & anti-arthritic

- Its oil is excellent for digestion, arthritis, cramps, rheumatism etc

Benefits:

Everything which is naturally existing in nature had to have been put there by a Creator, there is not even a speck of dust in this world which doesn’t serve a purpose. The materials used for prayer beads are no different, they have been made to serve their purpose and have been carefully selected through hundreds of years for their abilities in being able to store the energy from ones zikr & meditations. Anything which is omitted from our mouths from the Divine Scriptures, i.e. The Quran, or words of the Seal Of All Prophets, emit light. Where there is light, there cannot be darkness, since darkness is the absence of light. Where there is nur (light), there cannot be nar (fire), which is why in some regards prayer beads can also be a shield of light, which is why you see many saints wear them as necklaces. The more the beads are used through repetition of the remembrance of God, the more they become objects of light and presence. If the energy receptors of a persons spirit are open and sensitive enough, they will immediately be able to pick up on the energy and light emanating from the beads.

Scientific Literature:

The advent of recent scientific literature has shown us the effects of how positive & negative words affect the molecules within water. The findings of the study conducted by Masaru Emoto showed that if a person recited positive words on water, the molecule structure within the water would change to produce beautiful crystals. Whereas on the other hand, negative words would produce the opposite affect.

When we make remembrance of God or His Prophet ﷺ, we are emitting a light, golden in colour, as the words of Haq (Truth-hood) emit a golden light. This light then rains down like heavy showers on the area in which that remembrance has took place, that it is why it is said anywhere a Saint resides for 40 days or more, there stretches a light upto the heavens as a sign for those who can see that this was the place a Beloved of God had stayed. This light can also be stored within the beads themselves, and immediately when held in the hand there can be felt a certain energy. The more they are used, the more that energy increases.

The Craft:

Stage 1 – The Design:

The intricate design of the prayer beads are envisioned by the craftsman and a rough outline is sketched out onto a blank canvas. It is at this stage where the craftsman selects which materials they wish to utilise.

Stage 2 – Acquisition of the raw materials:

The hunt for the chosen materials begins and the wood is then ethically sourced and harvested from the finest and 100% organic of materials.

Stage 3 – The resize:

Once the material has been sourced it is then cut into smaller blanks and is now ready to begin onto the next stage of the process.

Stage 4 – The carving:

At this stage the beads, minarets, and separator pieces are carved into the desired shape and pattern. It is important to know that this entire method is done by hand; there are no moulds, markers or guidelines. This is a skill and art form which requires exquisite hand co-ordination and takes a craftsman many years to learn and perfect.

Stage 5 – Excavating the holes:

Similar to the last stage this is a skill which requires years of practise. There are no markers or guidelines, and if the holes are off by even a fraction of a millimetre the prayer beads will not be aligned correctly. If the holes are too narrow this will result in the beads being stiff and difficult to move along the thread. If the holes are too wide this will result in the beads being extremely loose and difficult to use.

Stage 6 – Unmasking the natural beauty:

The materials are then sanded to bring out the beauty which is hidden deep within the beads. slowly each and every grain is uncovered and is manifested within each bead.

Stage 7 – The set up:

There are currently 3 main set up systems of how prayer beads are separated;

Shadhili – 100 beads separated using 3 dividers in the set up of 33/17/17/33.

Naqshbandi – 200 beads separated using 7 dividers in the set up of 7/11/40/70

Tijani – 100 beads separated using 5 dividers in the set up of 12/18/20.

Stage 8 – The stringing:

The beads are now finally ready to be stringed together using a durable thread. It is at this stage where the thread tension is decided on and with some can even be adjusted afterwards.

Stage 9 – The tassel:

This process takes hours to complete and is crucial in the overall look and design of the prayer beads.

Stage 10 – The inspection:

The set of prayer beads are now ready for one last inspection before they are to be released.