«وروى مسلم وهو متفق عليه من رواية أبى هريرة حديثا (فيه): ((والذي نفس محمد بيده لخلوف قم الصائم أطيب عند الله يوم القيامة من ريح المسك))» ¤
Muslim narrated (and it is agreed upon) a hadith on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, the odour of the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah Almighty on the Day of Resurrection than the fragrance of musk.” ¤
Research and takhrij: Bukhari: 1894, 1904; Muslim: 1151. ¤
Benefits: ¤
➊ An oath should be taken only in the name of Allah Almighty, as he ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad.” ¤
➋ The siwak may be used while fasting; it is permissible. It is not unreasonable that a smell may come from a person’s mouth. The smell during fasting is praiseworthy. A martyr will come into Allah’s court on the Day of Resurrection; the colour of his blood will be like blood, but its smell will be like the smell of musk. That is, the smell of the martyr’s blood will be that of musk, but for a fasting person who stays hungry and thirsty for Allah, the smell of his mouth alone is many degrees better than the fragrance of musk. In Sahih al-Bukhari there is a hadith about the martyr’s blood having the fragrance of musk. ¤
➌ From the medical point of view, the siwak is a store of spiritual and physical benefits. It expels well the corrupt matter from the stomach, brain, teeth, throat, mouth and all the organs. It dries up the odour of the mouth and the windy water. The teeth become strong. It brightens the eyes. It sharpens the brain. It also serves as an excellent exercise for the mouth. A clean siwak is beneficial and relieves constipation, provided it is used daily. ¤
