Miswak

Miswak
The Natural Toothbrush

Westerns may be surprised by the sight of Saudi executives, high ranking businessmen and university professors chewing publicly on a tan-colored stick, about 15-20 cm long and roughly the thickness of the little finger.

Public care of one’s teeth is perfectly acceptable in Saudi Arabia, and is done with the miswak, a natural toothbrush-*****-toothpaste. This multipurpose stick cleans the mouth, whitens the teeth and sweetens the breath.

Muslims use it on the recommendation of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam who used it during fasting and also advised its use as a breath freshener before prayer. By contrast, with the conventional plastic toothbrush, the miswak is more user and environment friendly and can be used any time, any where. it completely dispenses with the need for toothbrush squeezing, vigorous brushing and foaming in the mouth.

• ‘Make regular practice of Miswak for verily it is the purification for the mouth and a means of the pleasure of the Lord’ (Bukhari)
  
• Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said,
  “Had I not thought it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the Miswak (tooth-stick) before every Salat” (Bukhari and Muslim)
  
• He (saw) also said,
  “The preference for prayer (with ablution) in which miswak is used, to prayer (with ablution) without miswak, is seventy times”. (Bayhaqi)
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• 'Four things are from the practices of the Prophets: Circumcision, Perfume, miswak, and Marriage’. (Ahmed and Tirmidhi)
  
• Hudaifa (RA) reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) got up (from sleep), he would rub his teeth with miswak. (Bukhari and Muslim)
  
• Shuraih bin Hani (RA) reported: I asked Aisha (RA), “What was the first thing that the Prophet (pbuh) would do when he entered his house?” She replied: “He would use miswak”. (Muslim)
  
• Zayd bin Khalid used to attend prayers in the mosque with his miswak over his ear, the place where the scribe places his pen on the ear, and he did not pray without using miswak. After using he put it back at its place.
  
• Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “Never did Gabriel come to me without commanding me to use miswak, with the result I was afraid of chafing the front of my mouth”. (Ahmed)

Source:

The best source of the miswak is the root of the arak tree (salvadora persica) known in Urdu as ‘Peelu’, more commonly known as ‘toothbrush tree’.

Scientific Benefits:

Scholars have mentioned as many as 70 medicinal and spiritual benefits related to the miswak. Dental research has discovered interesting information about the miswak.

Chemical analysis revealed that it contains a total of 19 natural substances which are beneficial to dental health.

Its natural antiseptics have a bactericidal action, killing harmful micro-organisms in the mouth, the tannic acid it contains has astringent qualities which protect the gums from disease, and its aromatic oils increase salivation (which helps in digestion). Because of its built-in antiseptics, the miswak needs no cleaning, and because its bristles are parallel to the hand rather than perpendicular, its can reach more easily between the teeth, where are conventional toothbrush often misses.

Use:

After purchase, the miswak should be soaked in water for a few hours. This softens the natural fibers, which helps them to separate when the top half-inch of bark is pared away with a sharp knife. Then chew the tip gently until brush-like. Start brushing horizontally until squeaky clean. Store vertically upside down. The miswak has a taste which has been described as “pleasantly bitter”The Miswak RecapNatural, safer, and more effective than synthetic toothbrushes.

Dental Benefits:

• Strengthen gums

• Effectively removes plaque, and yellowness of teeth

• Prevents tooth decay• Cleans, and brightens teeth

• Removes bad odorPhysiological Benefits

• Improves the sense of taste

• Sharpens memory and intelligence

• Assists in digestion

• Improves eyesight

• Improves the health, and luster of the face of the continual user.Most importantly………..

It’s a Sunnah and a means of getting Allah’s pleasure.

Try it and bear witness to the fact that nature can really excel in the field of dental care