The Chapter of Siwak

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 12

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Book 1, Chapter 12

The Chapter of Siwak
19 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 108

108 - قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «مَا زَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يُوصِينِي بِالسِّوَاكِ حَتَّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ أُحْفِيَ أَوْ أَدْرَدَ وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْجَارِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْمَمْلُوكِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيَضْرِبُ لَهُ أَجَلاً يُعْتَقُ فِيهِ. وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: «وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْمَرْأَةِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي طَلاَقُهَا.

Hadith.108 - The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: "Archangel Jibril (as) kept advising me about the miswak until I feared I might wear down my teeth or make them fall out. And Archangel Jibril (as) continued to advise me about the neighbor until I thought he would make him an heir. And Archangel Jibril (as) continued to advise me about servants until I thought he would set a term for them to be freed." In another report, "And Archangel Jibril (as) continued to advise me about women until I thought that divorce would not be appropriate for them."

Ḥadīth 109

109 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ بِالسِّوَاكِ وَ اَلْحِجَامَةِ وَ اَلْخِلاَلِ.

Hadith.109 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: 'Archangel Jibril (as) brought down the practices of using the miswak, cupping (hijama), and flossing (khilal).'.

Ḥadīth 110

110 - وَقَالَ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَكْلُ اَلْأُشْنَانِ يُذِيبُ اَلْبَدَنَ وَ اَلتَّدَلُّكُ بِالْخَزَفِ يُبْلِي اَلْجَسَدَ وَ اَلسِّوَاكُ فِي اَلْخَلاَءِ يُورِثُ اَلْبَخَرَ.

Hadith.110 - Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) said: "Consuming ushnan (a type of cleansing herb) melts the body, scrubbing with pottery wears out the body, and using a siwak in the bathroom causes bad breath”.

Ḥadīth 111

111 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَرْبَعٌ مِنْ سُنَنِ اَلْمُرْسَلِينَ اَلتَّعَطُّرُ وَ اَلسِّوَاكُ وَ اَلنِّسَاءُ وَ اَلْحِنَّاءُ.

Hadith.111 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Four practices are from the traditions of the messengers: applying fragrance, using siwak (toothstick), having relations with women, and using henna."

Ḥadīth 112

112 - وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ أَفْوَاهَكُمْ طُرُقُ اَلْقُرْآنِ فَطَهِّرُوهَا بِالسِّوَاكِ.

Hadith.112 - The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "Your mouths are the pathways of the Quran, so purify them with siwak (toothstick)."

Ḥadīth 113

113 - وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «يَا عَلِيُّ عَلَيْكَ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ وُضُوءِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ.

Hadith.113 - The Prophet (sw), said in his will to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as): "O’ Ali (as), make sure to use siwak (toothstick) before wudu (ablution) for every prayer."

Ḥadīth 114

114 - وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «اَلسِّوَاكُ شَطْرُ اَلْوُضُوءِ.

Hadith.114 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "Siwak (tooth cleaning) is half of wudu (ablution)."

Ḥadīth 115

115 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لَمَّا دَخَلَ اَلنَّاسُ فِي اَلدِّينِ أَفْوَاجاً أَتَتْهُمُ اَلْأَزْدُ أَرَقَّهَا قُلُوباً وَ أَعْذَبَهَا أَفْوَاهاً فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ ، هَذَا أَرَقُّهَا قُلُوباً عَرَفْنَاهُ فَلِمَ صَارَتْ أَعْذَبَهَا أَفْوَاهاً فَقَالَ «إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَسْتَاكُ فِي اَلْجَاهِلِيَّةِ.

Hadith.115 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said : "When people entered the religion in large numbers, the tribe of Azd came among them with the softest hearts and the sweetest mouths. It was asked: 'O’ Messenger of Allah (sw), we understand why they have the softest hearts, but why do they have the sweetest mouths?' He (sw) said: 'They used to use siwak (toothstick) even in the pre-Islamic period.'"

Ḥadīth 116

116 - وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ طَهُورٌ وَ طَهُورُ اَلْفَمِ اَلسِّوَاكُ.

Hadith.116 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Everything has a means of purification, and the means of purification for the mouth is the siwak (tooth cleaning)."

Ḥadīth 117

117 - وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَانَ يُكْثِرُ اَلسِّوَاكَ وَ لَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ فَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ تَرْكُهُ فِي فَرْطِ اَلْأَيَّامِ.

Hadith.117 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (sw) frequently used siwak (tooth cleaning), but it is not obligatory, so it will not harm you if you leave it for a few days”.

Ḥadīth 118

118 - وَقَالَ اَلْبَاقِرُ وَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «صَلاَةُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِسِوَاكٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ رَكْعَةً بِغَيْرِ سِوَاكٍ.

Hadith.118 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) and Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Two units of prayer performed with siwak (tooth cleaning) are better than seventy units of prayer without siwak."

Ḥadīth 119

119 - وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ اَلْبَاقِرُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ «لاَ تَدَعْهُ فِي كُلِّ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَ لَوْ أَنْ تُمِرَّهُ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً.

Hadith.119 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said about the siwak: "Do not neglect it for more than three days, even if you use it just once."

Ḥadīth 120

120 - وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «اِكْتَحِلُوا وَتْراً وَ اِسْتَاكُوا عَرْضاً.

Hadith.120 - The Prophet, said: "Apply kohl in an odd number of strokes and use siwak (tooth cleaning) across the width of the mouth”.

Ḥadīth 121

121 - وَ تَرَكَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ اَلسِّوَاكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْبَضَ بِسَنَتَيْنِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَسْنَانَهُ ضَعُفَتْ.

Hadith.121 - It is reported that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) stopped using siwak two years before he passed away, as his teeth had weakened.

Ḥadīth 122

122 - وَ سَأَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَخَاهُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَسْتَاكُ مَرَّةً بِيَدِهِ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى صَلاَةِ اَللَّيْلِ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى اَلسِّوَاكِ فَقَالَ «إِذَا خَافَ اَلصُّبْحَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ.

Hadith.122 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) bout a man who uses his hand to clean his teeth when he gets up for the night prayer (Salat Al Layl), even though he has access to siwak. Imam (as) said: "If he fears that dawn is approaching, there is no harm in doing so."

Ḥadīth 123

123 - وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «لَوْ لاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ وُضُوءِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ.

Hadith.123 - The Prophet (sw) said: "If it were not burdensome for my community, I would have commanded them to use siwak (tooth cleaning) with each wudu (ablution) before every prayer."

Ḥadīth 124

124 - وَ رُوِيَ: «لَوْ عَلِمَ اَلنَّاسُ مَا فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ لَأَبَاتُوهُ مَعَهُمْ فِي لِحَافٍ.

Hadith.124 - It is narrated: "If people knew what benefits siwak holds, they would keep it with them in their bedding at night."

Ḥadīth 125

125 - وَ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّ اَلْكَعْبَةَ شَكَتْ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا تَلْقَى مِنْ أَنْفَاسِ اَلْمُشْرِكِينَ فَأَوْحَى اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهَا «قِرِّي يَا كَعْبَةُ فَإِنِّي مُبْدِلُكِ بِهِمْ قَوْماً يَتَنَظَّفُونَ بِقُضْبَانِ اَلشَّجَرِ» فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ نَبِيَّهُ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ اَلرُّوحُ اَلْأَمِينُ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ بِالسِّوَاكِ.

Hadith.125 - It has been narrated: "The Kaaba complained to Allah (swt), Mighty and Majestic, about the distress it suffered from the breaths of the polytheists. Allah (swt), Exalted be He, revealed to it: 'Calm yourself, O’ Kaaba, for I will replace them with a people who purify themselves with branches of trees.' When Allah (swt) sent His Prophet Muhammad (sw), the Trustworthy Spirit, Archangel Jibril (as), descended upon him with the siwak (toothstick)."

Ḥadīth 126

126 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ اِثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ خَصْلَةً هُوَ مِنَ اَلسُّنَّةِ وَ مَطْهَرَةٌ لِلْفَمِ وَ مَجْلاَةٌ لِلْبَصَرِ وَ يُرْضِي اَلرَّحْمَنَ وَ يُبَيِّضُ اَلْأَسْنَانَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْحَفْرِ وَ يَشُدُّ اَللِّثَةَ وَ يُشَهِّي اَلطَّعَامَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْبَلْغَمِ وَ يَزِيدُ فِي اَلْحِفْظِ وَ يُضَاعِفُ اَلْحَسَنَاتِ وَ تَفْرَحُ بِهِ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةُ.

Hadith.126 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Siwak (tooth cleaning) has twelve benefits: it is part of the Sunnah (tradition), purifies the mouth, improves vision, pleases the Merciful, whitens the teeth, removes decay, strengthens the gums, increases appetite, removes phlegm, enhances memory, multiplies good deeds, and brings joy to the angels."