بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Islam is the true religion and a pure faith, which, through its pure and enlightened teachings and guidance, has taught humanity cleanliness and purity, making them bound by it. Highlighting the importance of cleanliness, it is considered half of faith in some places, and in others, it is given the status of a key for important acts of worship like prayer. Not only this, but achieving purity is also a cause of divine love and a means of forgiveness. Therefore, among the reasons for purity, one thing is Miswak (tooth-stick). But what is Miswak? Miswak: the pleasure of the Lord, a cure for every disease, the tradition of the prophets, a requirement of nature, cleanliness of the mouth, a cause of increased reward, and a cause of proximity to angels. Moreover, Miswak has countless physical and medical benefits, as well as spiritual purity, radiance, and rewards in the hereafter. Pointing to this reality, Sarkar-e-Do-Jahan (Leader of both worlds) said: Miswak is the purity and cleanliness of the mouth and the means of the Lord's pleasure: "اَلسّوَاكُ مَطْهَرَةٌ لِلْفَمِ وَمَرْضَاةٌ لِلرَّبِ،،
Using Miswak is unanimously a Sunnah (practice of the Prophet), regardless of whether it is from the Sunan (practices) of Wudu (ablution) or the Sunan of prayer. However, what could be greater than the virtue and goodness of Miswak, that it is the beloved practice of Sayyid al-Anbiya (Leader of the Prophets) Hazrat Muhammad, as well as the established Sunnah of all the prophets. Furthermore, Mohsin-e-Insaniyat (Benefactor of Humanity) has informed the Ummah (community) in numerous Hadith (sayings of the Prophet) about the importance and necessity of Miswak, its virtues and benefits, and the rewards for it. It is also a well-established fact that no other act among the Sunan and Adab (etiquettes) of Wudu has been emphasized as much as Miswak. Approximately forty Hadith have been narrated regarding this. Therefore, in the following lines, some sayings and statements of Sarwar-e-Konain (Leader of both worlds) regarding the virtue of Miswak are being committed to paper, so that it can be estimated what its status of acceptance and popularity is with Allah.
Thus, Umm al-Mu'minin (Mother of the Believers) Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa narrates that Rasul Akram (the most honorable Messenger) said: "Using Miswak is a cause of cleanliness of the mouth and a cause of Allah Almighty's pleasure."
In another narration, he said: "Whenever Hazrat Jibrail (Gabriel) came to me, he would command me to use Miswak, until I feared that I might peel off the front part of my mouth due to excessive use of Miswak." مَا جَانَّنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَطُّ إِلَّا أَمَرَنِي بِالسِّوَاكِ لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ أُحْفِيَ مُقَدِّمَ فِي ،،
Due to the frequent commands and repeated emphasis of Sayyid al-Malaika (Leader of the Angels) Hazrat Jibrail Amin, Nabi Akram (the most honorable Prophet) began to suspect its obligation. He expressed these thoughts several times in this way, saying: "If I had not feared hardship and difficulty for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use Miswak at the time of every prayer." لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَا مَرُتُهُمُ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِندَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ ،،
But Rasul Allah (Messenger of Allah) is extremely kind, compassionate, and merciful to the Ummah; therefore, he did not give Miswak the status of being necessary and obligatory; otherwise, Muslims would have fallen into hardship and difficulty, negligence and laziness would have occurred in practice, and the Ummah would have become sinful; therefore, instead of making it obligatory, it was declared Sunnah and Mustahab (recommended).
In one narration, the noble command of Nabi Mukarram (the most honorable Prophet) is: that I have described to you much about Miswak.
لَقَدْ أَكْثَرْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي السِّوَاكَ ،،
Also, due to the blessing of Miswak, the ranks and levels of prayer increase many times. Thus, Umma Jan (Mother) Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa narrates that Rasul Allah said: "The prayer that is performed with Miswak is seventy times (in reward) greater than the prayer without Miswak."
تَفْضُلُ الصَّلَاةُ الَّتِي يُسْتَاكُ لَهَا عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ الَّتِي لَا يُسْتَاكُ لَهَا سَبْعِينَ ضعفا،،
In short, all the above narrations are clear evidence and proof of the importance and greatness of Miswak and its value and status with Allah.
Mufti Sadiq Amin Qasmi