GUIDANCE ON SIWAK (MISWAK)

The siwaak is the Arabic word for the twigs of the Salvadora Persica also known as Arak tree or Peelu tree, and is commonly referred to as miswak in the west. The siwaak is a natural toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss. It comes from the Arak which is a small tree that grows up to 3 meters high.

There are many ahadeeth mentioning the importance and virtues of using the siwaak such as the hadeeth of Ibn Abbass that the Prophet (saw) said : “I was ordered with the siwaak until I thought that something would be revealed in the Qur’aan in regards to it” [Musnad Ahmad no.2125, graded Saheeh]; however the medical benefits are derived from the hadeeth where Aa’ishah reported that the Prophet (saw) said “the siwaak is purifying for the mouth and pleasing to the Rabb” [Sunan An-Nasaa’ee no.5,  graded  saheeh]

The scholars of Islam advise that the siwaak should be used starting from the right side of the mouth in a side to side motion instead of up and down as the latter may harm the gums. It should be used frequently due to the generality of the hadeeth mentioned above.

Some of the recommended times are as follows;

•             Before every salah – based on the narration of Aa’ishah who reported that the prophet (upon him be salah and salam) 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 siwaak at every time of prayer.” [Bukhari, 2/299 and Muslim, 1/151].

•             When entering the house – as reported from Aa’ishah; “When he (upon him be salah and salam) entered his house, the first thing he would do was to use the siwaak.” [Muslim, 1/220].

•             When getting up from sleep  – as reported by Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan that when the Prophet (upon him be salah and salam)  got up during the night, he would clean his mouth thoroughly with the siwaak. [Bukhari, 1/98 and Muslim, 1/220]

•             When the taste or smell of the mouth changes – since the siwaak is purifying for the mouth then it should be utilised as and when needed.

The Wrigley Company carried out a study which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. In the study mints laced with miswak extract were found to be 20 times more effective in killing bacteria in comparison to ordinary mints. After half an hour the mints laced with miswaak extract killed 60% of the bacteria and the ordinary mints killed only 3.6%. This benefit of the siwaak has been confirmed in the journal Oral medicine and Dentistry where Dr. James Turner, of the Faculty of Medicine in the American University of Tennessee said: “The miswaak of the araak tree contains substances which purify and kill microbes, the most important of which are sulphur and sitosterol B (or β-sitosterol), as well as sodium.”

In the Sahihayn it is narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “if it was not for the fact that my nation would not be able to bear it, I would have ordered them to use Siwak (miswak) before every prayer”.

Al-Bukhari narrates that  the Prophet (saw) said: Siwak cleans the mouth and pleases the Lord”.