JERUSALEM — Strolling by means of the courtyard of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on a latest afternoon, Nisreen Biqwaidar wore a pink Apple Watch on her wrist to depend her steps and a inexperienced ring on her finger to depend her non secular recitations.
“Each day I say, ‘God is nice’ 1,000 occasions and ‘glory be to God’ 1,000 occasions,” Nisreen, 13, mentioned lately as she left afternoon prayers. The ring is superior to prayer beads, she mentioned, as a result of it “is quicker and it stays in your hand.”
All through the day, every time she recites, she says, she presses a silver button on the ring and her tally on the digital monitor ticks up. On the finish of the day, she presses a smaller reset button, clearing the ring for the subsequent day’s remembrances. She has been utilizing a digital counter since she was 10.
Many Muslims around the globe have lengthy used prayer beads for non secular recitations and praises. The follow, which is along with the 5 day by day prayers most carry out, is a option to infuse non secular remembrance into their day. More and more, Palestinians like Nisreen have turned to digital prayer counters to trace their recitations, like a Fitbit for his or her Allahu akbars, Arabic for “God is nice.”
Shopkeepers in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis say the counters first started showing there some 5 or seven years in the past, although their precise arrival time is unclear. Curiosity in them started after Palestinians coming back from pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia introduced them again. They turned an prompt hit.
Now, at outlets all through the Outdated Metropolis, lengthy strands of multicolored prayer beads sit subsequent to an array of prayer counters. The digital counters there are likely to vary from slightly greater than $1 to about $10 and are particularly well-liked in the course of the holy month of Ramadan, which is anticipated to finish Sunday for a lot of the area.
The rings and different prayer counters will be discovered all through a lot of the Muslim world. Those that use them in Jerusalem fluctuate in age, and a few mentioned they used each rings and beads however most well-liked the digital choice once they weren’t house.
Whereas many Christians use rosary beads in an identical means, shopkeepers within the Outdated Metropolis’s Christian quarter mentioned the digital counters had but to catch on, primarily as a result of Christians are prone to say dozens of Hail Marys or Our Fathers in a day, slightly than lots of or extra.
On that latest afternoon, Nisreen had forgotten to placed on her prayer ring earlier than she left her house in Beersheba, in southern Israel. However as she made her means by means of the Outdated Metropolis’s streets, a lady was handing out dates and prayer rings. Nisreen took one.
“If I don’t have the ring, I take advantage of the prayer beads,” mentioned Nisreen, who usually retains prayer beads in her backpack as a backup. “And if I don’t have the prayer beads, I simply use my fingers.”
As kids, many Muslims are taught to recite non secular praises on their fingers, utilizing the creases on their fingers. Some nonetheless favor that, to emulate the Prophet Muhammad, who is alleged to have used his fingers.
Many Muslims nonetheless favor prayer beads — which are sometimes about 100 beads lengthy however will be even longer — and the older trustworthy usually preserve their beads always in hand.
However it may be exhausting to recollect the whole. Enter the prayer counters.
“In the event you wished to say 1,000 praises, it’s exhausting to maintain monitor,” mentioned Ahmad Natsha, 35, who was working at his pal’s retailer on the sting of the Aqsa Mosque compound on a latest day. “Some would purchase 10 prayer beads and use each to maintain monitor,” he mentioned, however “it’s a lot simpler with the counter.”
Ibtihal Ahmad, 60, agrees. “There’s peace of thoughts,” she mentioned. “I do know on the finish of the day what number of praises I’ve mentioned.”
Sitting along with her again to the Dome of the Rock, she gazed on the blue plastic counter on her ring finger, which was subsequent to 2 gold rings almost as massive. The display screen confirmed that she had already reached 755.
However she mentioned she had many extra prayers left that day.
“When folks see a excessive quantity, they really feel a way of accomplishment,” mentioned Sham Ibrahim, 16, who was sitting subsequent to her.
Ms. Ahmad says she offers her younger grandchildren prayer rings once they turn into rowdy and instructs them to recite a prayer 500 occasions — giving them a little bit of time to replicate and her some quiet time.
Very similar to how Fitbits and different wearable well being trackers impressed competitors or bragging for the essential act of strolling, prayer counters have inspired a way of non secular competitors.
In a non secular WhatsApp group she is in, Nadia Mohammad, 60, and Sham’s grandmother, mentioned the members usually shared their day by day prayer depend. One of many oldest members often posts counts within the hundreds.
“It encourages the remainder of us,” she mentioned this previous week, as she held conventional prayer beads quickly after afternoon prayers.
Others publish their day by day tallies on Fb.
So as to add to the thrill, a brand new mannequin and design comes out yearly or so, shopkeepers within the Outdated Metropolis mentioned.
The newest one seems to be like a fish and is supposed to be cradled within the palm of 1’s hand. A ridged wheel will be turned with a thumb — replicating the texture of shifting a finger by means of beads.
Although Mr. Natsha was working at a store promoting the beads and the counters, he was crucial of what he thought of new strategies of worship. He doesn’t use both.
“In our faith, we shouldn’t be utilizing this or that,” he mentioned, motioning towards the show of prayer beads hanging above bins of prayer rings. “In our faith, we needs to be utilizing solely our fingers. That is simply capitalism.”
For Akram, 66, who didn’t wish to give his final identify as a result of like others interviewed he felt that discussing his day by day remembrance got here off as non secular bragging, the counters are greater than only a day by day report of his prayers.
Three years in the past, Akram, from the northern metropolis of Acre, mentioned he started maxing out the rings. The display screen on a number of the rings, together with his, can attain 99,999 earlier than routinely resetting to zero. Now, every time he hits 99,999, he locations tape over the reset button in order that his report stays intact. Then he places the ring in a field for protected holding. Thus far he has collected 30.
He has instructed his household to string the entire rings round his neck when he dies — a closing, digital testomony to how a lot he praised God in life.
“With the common prayer beads, you are able to do it 100 occasions, however what proof is there that you simply did it 100 occasions? There’s none,” he mentioned. He motioned towards a field of prayer rings very like those he has saved. “That is eternally.”
