Syrian Muslim Decorative Prayer Beads: "Subha"

"Subha," Arabic for to praise God, to praise God in hymns, and to pray to God, refers to beads used in prayers to glorify god. Subha have been part of the Islamic tradition for centuries.

The beads did not exist during the time of the Prophet Muhammad or his caliphs; subha originated in India in the second century of Islam. They are used as a tool to keep track of the number of times which Muslims perform the dhikr, or pronouncements in remembrance of Allah as instructed by the Holy Qur’an. A Muslim is rewarded for reciting these a certain number of times following every prayer. Subha also help to keep track of the recitation of the 99 names of God.

Subha can be simple or decorative with beads made from cheap plastic, decorative ceramics, hardwoods or precious stones. The string that holds the beads together can be made of cotton, silk or simple nylon. They all share similar attributes: usually a loop of 99 beads divided into clusters of 33, with a shorter string of 10 beads to keep track of multiples and a tasseled rope to mark the start and end of the 99-bead chain. Sometimes the subha will be smaller, with only 33 beads.
Source:
http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=21§ion=0&article=87697&d=10&m=10&y=2006