Miswak The Original Dental Care Islam ensures that we live life in a complete and holistic way; therefore, good manners are taught to us at an early age. Just as important are the teachings of the fiqh of Islam, cleanliness and our personal hygiene must be taught. The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith (Iman).” [Sahih Muslim] Apart from keeping the body and limbs clean at all times, Islam also teaches the importance of keeping the mouth clean. This not only keeps diseases away but ensures freshness of breath so as not to cause discomfort to those near us. Teeth are the door to our mouth and ought to always be clean and shiny, adding beauty to every Muslim’s smile and face. Our teeth reflect how healthy we are and how much we care about our bodies. They do, however, need special care. For this purpose the use of miswak has always been of great importance. Miswak means ‘rub’ and that is what the twig is used for--an instrument to rub the teeth--thus keeping them clean. It is also known as siwak, meswak and sewak. It was the routine of our Prophet (S) to use miswak before entering his house, before every salah and even when he got up for the night prayer. Our Prophet Muhammed (S) set the example and it is our duty to follow. Imam Ahmed narrates from Ibn Umar (Radi Allahu Anhuma) that Rasulullah (S) said, “Make it a habit to perform miswak, as it is a means of cleansing the mouth and a means of attaining the pleasure of Allah.” During our acts of worship we are to make ourselves more presentable and likeable for our Lord as well as the people around us. We must not forget to make use of miswak as part of our preparations before reading the Qur’an and performing salah. It is also a Sunnah to use it during fasting. Abu Hurairah(R) narrated that the Prophet (S) had said: “Was it not for my fear of imposing a difficulty on my Ummah, I would have ordered that the miswak be used for every Salah.” (Bukhari) Upon hearing this saying of the Prophet (S), his companions included the use of miswak into their daily cleansing routine. Abu Musa AlAsh’ari (R) reported: “I came to the Prophet (S) once and noticed the tip of miswak on his tongue.” Hudaifah (R) also reported: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah (S) got up from his sleep, he would rub his teeth with miswak.” How is miswak used? •It is usually as long as a normal hand and its tip should be cut off or chewed initially until the fibrous material inside is visible. •The fibers should be chewed until they look like bristles. •The motion used is not circular when brushing the teeth. It should be from the roots to the tips of the teeth. •The fibrous tissue assists in the removal of food particles stuck between the teeth. •The tongue is cleaned with a sweeping motion. •Approximately every five days, the tip will need to be cut so as to expose new fibers as the previous ones will be worn. Fasting and miswak Amir Bin Rabiyah said: “I saw the Prophet (S) using miswak while he was fasting many times that I can’t count.” “The fasting person uses miswak at the beginning and the end of the day.” (Bukhari) Where does miswak come from? Miswak twigs or tooth-sticks have been used extensively 32
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