What is mentioned about the siwak

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) got up for tahajjud, he would use the siwak (tooth-stick).

The same is reported through another chain, except that it does not mention the siwak.

Shurayh said: I said to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in to you, what was the first thing he would do?" She said: "The first thing he would do was use the miswak."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zayd bin Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not that I feared hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak for every prayer." Sayyiduna Zayd bin Khalid used to keep his miswak on his ear, at the place where a scribe keeps his pen. Whenever he stood up for prayer, he would use the miswak and then put it back in its place.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not that I feared hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak at every ablution."

Abu Atiq said: I saw Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) using the miswak before sleeping, after getting up, and when going out for the Fajr prayer. I said to him: "Why have you put yourself through so much hardship!" He said: "Sayyiduna Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) told me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also used to use the miswak in this way."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray two rak'ahs and then use the miswak.

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) got up for the night prayer (tahajjud), he would use the miswak.

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) woke from sleep, whether by day or by night, he would use the miswak before performing ablution.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The miswak purifies the mouth and is a means of earning the pleasure of Allah."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: We were commanded to use the miswak so persistently and emphatically that we thought some command would be revealed concerning the miswak.

Salih bin Kaysan said: Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) always had a miswak on their ears.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not that I feared hardship for my Ummah, I would have made the miswak binding upon them for every prayer."

Al-Sha'bi said: The miswak cleanses the mouth and sharpens the eyesight.

One of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not that I feared hardship for my Ummah, I would have made the miswak obligatory as well, just like ablution."

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to use the miswak several times in a single night.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When any of you gets up at night, let him use the miswak. For when a man gets up at night, uses the miswak, then performs ablution, then stands for prayer, an angel stands behind him listening to his recitation of the Qur'an. Then it gradually comes so close to him that it places its mouth against his mouth. So whenever he recites a verse, that verse enters the angel's belly.

Al-Hakam said: Mujahid stayed with me as a guest, and he was more regular in using the miswak than in anything else.

Yazid bin al-Asamm said: The miswak of the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), was kept soaking in water. When she was free from prayer or any other work that occupied her, she would use the miswak.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Four things are among the sunnahs of the messengers: applying perfume, marriage, using the miswak and applying henna."

Hassan bin Atiyyah said: It used to be said: Ablution is half of faith, and the miswak is half of ablution. Were it not that I feared hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak at every prayer. Two rak'ahs in which the servant uses the miswak are better than seventy rak'ahs in which he does not use it.

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: If I could have back what has already passed of my affair (meaning, regarding the miswak), that would be dearer to me than two young servants. Abdullah bin Dinar said: Whenever Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) ate food, he would use the miswak.

Mujahid said: Once Jibril delayed in coming to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When he came, he said: "How can we come to people who do not trim their nails, do not clean their finger joints, and do not use the miswak?!"

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sulayman bin Surad (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Use the miswak and keep yourselves clean, and pray witr, for Allah Almighty is Witr (Odd) and loves what is odd."

Abdullah bin Buraydah al-Aslami said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) woke up from among his family, he would have his slave-girl, whose name was Barirah, bring him the miswak.

Al-Sha'bi said: The miswak sharpens the eyesight and purifies the mouth.

Al-Tamimi said: I asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) about the miswak, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to command us to use the miswak so often that we began to think some command would be revealed concerning it.

Salih bin Kaysan said: Every one of the Companions had a miswak on his ear.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have urged you a great deal concerning the miswak."