A misbaha is strung with either thirty three or ninety nine beads, a count that matches the ninety nine names of God recited in sets of thirty three, and the number is functional rather than decorative, it tells the user where they are in the recitation without needing to count aloud.
Materials and makers
Traditional beads are cut from olive pit, date pit, sandalwood, amber or semiprecious stone, each material carrying its own regional preference, sandalwood common in South Asia, amber and pressed amber substitutes historically prized across the Ottoman world, while inexpensive plastic beads have become common for everyday use. Artisans in Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia and elsewhere produce them at every price point, and a misbaha is a common gift, often brought back from pilgrimage to Mecca or Medina as a keepsake for family.
Who uses one, and its upkeep
There is no restriction on who may own or use a misbaha, and it carries no consecration requiring special disposal, a broken string is simply restrung or the beads reused on a new cord, and a worn out set is discarded like any personal item. Digital counters and phone applications have supplemented but not replaced the physical object, which many users still prefer for the tactile rhythm it gives to counting.