Sixteenth Hadeeth

Siwaak (or Miswak i.e. tooth stick)

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said, "If I had not found it hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwaak at every time of making Wudoo’ and at every time of prayer." (1).

Also, it was reported that Huthayfah ibn Al-Yamaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “When the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, got up during the night, he would clean his mouth thoroughly with the Siwaak.” (2).

Such two above Hadeeths have several important points related to Siwaak. Amongst them are:

Firstly, his saying “…If I had not found it hard for my followers or the people…” here means the second is prevented because the first exists. In other words, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, wanted to command his followers to use Siwaak; however, he, peace and blessing be upon him, did not order them to do so because this may cause difficulty for them. The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, feared to cause hardship for his followers; otherwise, he would order them use Siwaak. This actually indicates that the mercifulness of our Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, towards his followers and the perfection of his instructions, and his love to all acts of goodness. He, peace and blessing be upon him, knows well the numerous and great benefits of this Siwaak, and that there is a great reward in using it. However, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, feared to impose it on his nation and they cannot fulfill it and cause hardship for them. This will make them sinful due to not fulfilling this command. Therefore, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, did not impose it; but rather, he, peace and blessing be upon him, adopted the style of encouragement so that people may use it.

Secondly, his saying “…I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwaak…” refers to the stick (3) by which one cleans his teeth and the action of brushing teeth with the stick or the like so that they yellowness and dirties may be removed, teeth may be cleaned and bad smell may be removed and following the tradition of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, may be fulfilled. So his saying “…with Siwaak…” meaning by using Siwaak.

Thirdly, his saying “…at every time of making wudoo’ and at every time of prayer...” refers to the times in which using Siwaak is highly recommended. We will touch upon this issue in details, Allaah Willing.

Fourthly, the saying of Huthayfah, may Allaah be pleased with him: “When the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, got up during the night, he would clean his mouth thoroughly with the Siwaak” means brushes his teeth with Siwaak in a side-to-side motion.

Fifthly, as for the ruling of using Siwaak, it is something recommended. Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, reported that the respectable scholars were agreed that use of the Siwaak is one of the confirmed recommended acts of worship, but not obligatory, except what is reported from Daawood Ath-Thaahiri that it is obligatory before offering prayer.” End quote

This ruling applies to the one who is fasting and others.

Sixthly, Siwaak has many great virtues, benefits, and several wisdoms. It is very beneficial, cleanses the mouth, gives it good smell, removes the yellowness of the teeth as well as it is please Allaah The Almighty, a kind of following the tradition of the Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, and imitating the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him.

It was narrated in a Mu‘allaq (4) Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Siwaak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord.” (5).

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Ayoob, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Four are from the Sunan of the Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention: Bashfulness, applying perfume, the Siwak, and marriage.” (6) [Reported by At-Tirmithi and deemed it Hasan (good) Hadeeth]

It was also reported on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “I was so excessively instructed with the use of the Siwaak that I thought Quran or revelation will be sent to me regarding it.” (7) [Reported by Imam Ahmad]

It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “A Salaah (i.e. prayer) performed after using the Siwaak is seventy times superior to the Salaah performed without Siwaak.” (8) [Reported by Imam Ahmad].

Al-Bazaar reported with a good Isnaad (i.e. chain of transmission) from ‘Ali, may Allaah be pleased with him, that he ordered using Siwaak and said: “The Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said, If the slave uses Siwaak and stands to perform Salaah, an angel appears and stands behind him listening attentively to Quran (being recited). The angel keeps on drawing nearer until it places its mouth on his mouth. No verse comes out from his mouth but it enters into the mouth of the angel and thus clean your months for the recitation of Quran.”

Seventhly, it was stated in such two Hadeeths some situations in which Siwaak is recommended. Some of them will be stated in the next Hadeeth, Allaah The Willing.

Eighthly, amongst the lessons that can be drawn from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, is a great basic principle of Sharee‘ah (i.e. Islamic divine laws) which is that warding off evil takes precedence over achieving benefits. That is because the wise religion of Islam did not impose using Siwaak on the nation although such obligation implies many great benefits and interests, lest Allaah The Almighty may impose it on them and thus they will not be able to do it and then be sinful due to neglecting this obligation.

Accordingly, if any matter the wise lawgiver did not prescribe, then this great basic principle should be applied to. Moreover, this implies a beneficial lesson and great wisdom that the callers of Allaah The Almighty can benefit from regarding the style of their invitation. Also, those who enjoin good and forbid evil can benefit from it while they are fulfilling such great obligation. So, every means leads to corruption, although it has an interest, and the corruption is greater than the interest, then getting such interest should be left off to ward off the corruption.

Whoever seeks more information to study this basic principle theoretically and practically should refer to the books of Fiqh (i.e. Islamic Jurisprudence) and explanations of Hadeeth.  

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1) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari in the Book of Jumu‘ah (Friday prayer), the chapter of using Siwaak (i.e. tooth stick) on Friday 2/374 no. 887,  and Imam Muslim in the Book of Tahaarah (i.e. Purification), the chapter of Siwaak 1/220, no. 252.

2) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari in the Book of Wudoo‘ (i.e. Ablution), the chapter of As-Siwaak 1/98 and Imam Muslim in the Book of Tahaarah (i.e. Purification), the chapter of Siwaak 1/220, no. 251.

3) This stick is taken from many trees, the best of which is the Araak tree. (Translator)

4) A Hadeeth in which one or more narrators from the beginning of its chain have not been mentioned.

5) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari in the Book of As-Sawm (i.e. Fasting), the chapter of Siwaak for the person observing Saum 2/40 as a Mu‘allaq Hadeeth.

6) Reported by At-Tirmithi in the book of An-Nikaah (i.e. marriage), the chapter of what has been related about the virtues of marriage and encouraging it 2/372, no. 1086.

7) Reported by Imam Ahmad in His Musnad 1/337.

8) Reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad 6/272.

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