A Forgotten Sunnah

2/26/2024

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Wasalaatu Wasalaamu AlaaRasoolillah

In the pursuit of spiritual purification and physical cleanliness, Muslims have long been guided by the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. One such forgotten Sunnah, or tradition, is the use of Miswak, a natural tooth-cleaning tool with profound religious and health significance.

The Miswak, derived from the Salvadora persica tree, holds a revered place in Islamic tradition as a means of maintaining oral hygiene and following the Prophet’s example. Its usage dates back to the early days of Islam, with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advocating its use and emphasizing its numerous benefits. However, in the modern era, this ancient practice has been overshadowed by commercial dental products, leading to its gradual neglect and near extinction.

This research paper aims to shed light on the historical, religious, and health-related significance of the Miswak, exploring its roots in Islamic tradition and its potential to enrich our lives today. By delving into the religious teachings and scientific findings related to the Miswak, we seek to revive this forgotten Sunnah and rediscover its valuable contributions to our physical and spiritual well-being.

Importance:

The importance of siwak is widely mentioned in narrations from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said, 

Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord. (Bukhari)

This hadith of the Prophet talks about two things; 1)purification/cleanliness and 2)Pleasing Allah ﷻ. Islam emphasizes cleanliness and considers it as an obligation on each and every muslim to stay clean, and if possible then pure too. The Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic narration:

Cleanliness is half of faith… (Muslim)

Secondly, the hadith also mentioned about pleasing The Lord, doing Miswak is a proven Iba’dah (an act of worship) but even if talking generally, every good action done with the right intention pleases Allah ﷻ. As the Prophet ﷺ said,

Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. (Bukhari)

The Prophet of Allah ﷻ ﷺ gave immense importance to the use of siwak, he ﷺ said:

Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak at every time of prayer. (Bukhari)

And in another narration, he ﷺ said:

…At the time of wudu. (Bukhari)

These ahadith tells us the importance of miswak in the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ, because out of all the things Prophet ﷺ would’ve chosen ‘use of siwak’ to be made obligatory upon every muslim. There is this idea that says; a man is judged by his starting and his ending, now let’s take a look at the ending/death of the greatest person to ever live on the face of this earth; Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ was immensely ill, resting on the lap of his beloved wife Ayesha رضي الله عنها in his house when her brother Abdur-Rahman رضي الله عنه entered their house, Ayesha رضي الله عنها narrates:

For ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr came in with a Siwak in his hand, while the Prophet’s head was in my lap. I noticed that he was looking at the Siwak. So I asked him: “Would you like me to have it?” He nodded in the affirmative. I took it and gave it to him. As it was too hard for him, I asked him again: “Shall I soften it for you?” Again, he nodded in the affirmative. So, I softened it with my saliva and he passed it (on his teeth). There was a water container available at his hand with some water in it. He put his hand in it and wiped his face with it and said: “There is no god but Allah ﷻ. Verily, death is full of agonies.”  (Bukhari)

In another narration Hazrat Ayesha رضي الله عنها says that ‘I had not seen the Prophet ﷺ clean his mouth like that ever before’, meaning that Prophetﷺ used the siwak in such a way that the he ﷺ wanted to do it with all his heart. Then after that the Prophet ﷺ lifted his hands and made dua:

O Allah ﷻ, forgive me, have mercy upon me, and join me with the highest of company. (Tirmidhi)

After making this dua, our Beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away in the lap of Ayesha رضي الله عنها. This shows how significant doing miswak was for the him ﷺ, that he ﷺ did preparations for the meeting with Allah ﷻ.

Benefits:

There are many benefits of using the siwak but as Muslims, our first priority should be focusing on deeds that please Allah ﷻ. Miswak is not just a sunnah, but a proper Iba’dah and should be done not just for its benefits but also with the intentions of pleasing Allah ﷻ.

Imam Abu Abdullah Shamsudeen Ibn Qayyimؒ mentioned 16 benefits of using siwak in his book Prophetic Medicine which are:

1. It makes the mouth smell nice
2. It makes the Gum stronger
3. It eliminates Phlegm(mucus)
4. It clears the eyesight
5. It prevents cavities in teeth
6. It creates an appetite for food
7. It makes the voice clear
8. It assists in the digestion of the food
9. It makes articulation easier
10. It activates the brain for reading
11. It activates the brain for remembering Allah ﷻ
12. It activates the brain for the Salah(prayer)
13. It removes sleep

As the narration says:

Whenever the Exalted Prophet ﷺ would wake up from his sleep, he would use the Miswak. (Dawood)

14. It pleases your Lord
15. It pleases the angels
16. It increases good deeds

It is quoted in the margins of Tahtawi: “Use of Miswak strengthens memory and eyesight, cures headaches and relieves the veins in the head, eliminates sputum, improves digestion, increases brain power, increases birth rate, delays aging and strengthens the back.” (Hashiya al-Tahtawi Ala Maraqil Falah)

Other benefits:

Miswak is suitable for oral hygiene, it has many benefits for one’s teeth as it:

1. fights cavities and tooth decay
2. protects against plaque and tartar
3. fights germs and harmful bacterias
4. removes bad odor and promotes a pleasant breath
5. promotes a feeling of cleanliness
6. protects and strengthens the gums
7. helps in dealing with the pain and inflammation of gums

How to use Siwak:

There is no particular way of using the siwak from any narrations from the time of the Prophet ﷺ or even his companions, therefore we try our best to act upon the general sunnahs of the Prophet ﷺ which apply to most of our daily tasks.

One should use his right hand to hold the siwak as it is a sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ to do good deeds or acts of taharah (purification) from his right hand. It is also preferred by Ibn Taymiyyahؒ to use one’s left hand to hold the siwak, but both methods are fine In Sha Allah.

  There is no particular movement in which the siwak should be used in one’s mouth so one can initiate from the right side of their mouth according to sunnah and then proceed with up-down movements and also side to side, keeping in mind not to hurt one’s gums. 

The siwak should be used on the gums and tongue too, as in a narration from Abu Musa Al Ashari رضي الله عنه, he says that:

I came to the Prophet ﷺ when he was using the siwak, and the end of the siwak was on his tongue, and he was saying; ‘A’, ‘a’. (Bukhari)

This shows that the Prophet ﷺ was using the siwak so deep into his mouth that it sounded like he ﷺ was retching.

Siwak should be used publicly and instead of feeling embarrassed, one should feel the honor to act upon the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. There are many ahadith from the companions of the Messenger ﷺ narrating him using siwak which proves it as a sunnah to use the siwak publicly.

Siwak should be washed after use, to get rid of any dirt that may be on it. ‘Aishah رضي الله عنه said:

The Prophet ﷺ used to use siwak, then he would give it to me to wash it. I would use it first, then wash it and give it back to him. (Dawood)

When to use siwak:

1. Before the recitation of Quran

It is considered as honoring the Quran, to use siwak before reciting it as it is an act of worship.

2. When entering the House

Whenever the Prophet ﷺ would enter his blessed home, he would use the miswak first. (Muslim)

It is considered as honoring the house when one enters it after or while doing miswak, and it also will eliminate the bad smell from the mouth which was the one of the habits of the Prophet ﷺ as one’s spouse waits for them inside.

3. When the color of the teeth changes
4. When the smell of the mouth changes
5. Before going to sleep
6. Before waking up
7. Before eating food
8. Before Wudu
9. Before Salah
10. Before Qiyam ul layl

Allowed while fasting or not?

It is a matter of difference among scholars  that one should use siwak while fasting or not? The Hadith which raises the concern on this matter is:

Narrated Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “(Allah ﷻ said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah ﷻ than the smell of musk. (Bukhari)

It is believed that using miswak while fasting would eliminate the smell from one’s mouth and this could go against the above-mentioned hadith, but another narration of the Prophet ﷺ says that this smell from the mouth of the fasting person will be beloved to Allah ﷻ on the day of judgment. Therefore, there is no problem in using miswak while fasting too, but one should be careful not to swallow the saliva made while using the miswak and should spit all of it out.

To back this point up, the hadith that tells us about use of siwak before the prayer says:

Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak at every time of prayer. (Bukhari)

This hadith does not contain any specification about salah during Ramadan or while fasting. There is this Usul of Fiqh which says that if the Prophet ﷺ has left something general so no one can specify or restrict it, there should be an evidence for the specification.

In conclusion, the Miswak stands not only as a forgotten Sunnah but as a timeless testament to the holistic wisdom of Islamic teachings. Its significance transcends mere oral hygiene, serving as a bridge between the spiritual and physical realms, and offering a profound connection to the practices of the Prophet ﷺ.

Let us heed this call to rediscover the Miswak, not only for the sake of our oral health but also as a means to honor and embody the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Let us embrace its teachings and benefits, and in doing so, rediscover the depth and beauty of our faith.

May the Miswak serve as a reminder of the profound wisdom enshrined in the Sunnah, and may its revival inspire a rekindling of forgotten traditions and a reawakening of spiritual consciousness. In preserving and embracing the Miswak, we honor the legacy of the Prophet ﷺ and reaffirm our commitment to the timeless teachings that continue to enrich our lives.

References:

Bukhari. (n.d.). Sahih Bukhari. 

Dawood. (n.d.). Sunan Abu Dawood. 

Ibn Qayyimؒ, I. A. (n.d.). Prophetic Medicine. 

Muslim. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. 

Tahtawi, I. (n.d.). Hashiya al-Tahtawi Ala Maraqil Falah. 

Tirmidhi. (n.d.). Jami At-Tirmidhi.