In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Virtues of Miswak (In the Light of Hadith)

The Importance of Miswak

It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“If it were not that I would cause hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay the ‘Isha Salah (prayer) and to use the Miswak at the time of every Salah.”
(صحیح بخاری ، صحیح مسلم)

Shurayh ibn Hani رحمۃ اللہ علیہ narrates that he asked ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would enter his home, what was the first thing he would do?”
She replied: “He would use the Miswak.”
(صحیح مسلم)

Miswak is a Means of Attaining Allah’s Pleasure

It is narrated from ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Miswak is a means of purification for the mouth and a cause of attaining the pleasure of Allah.”
(صحیح بخاری)

Miswak is the Sunnah of the Prophets

It is narrated from Abu Ayyub Ansari رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Four things are from the practices of the Prophets: modesty (and in one narration circumcision is mentioned in place of modesty), applying fragrance, using the Miswak, and marriage.”
(جامع ترمذی)

Offer Miswak to Others as Well

It is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“I saw in a dream that I was using the Miswak. Two men came to me, one older than the other. I first offered the Miswak to the younger one, but I was told to give it to the elder, so I handed it to the older of the two.”
(صحیح بخاری)

Using Miswak After Waking from Sleep

It is narrated from ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up—whether at night or during the day—he would use the Miswak before performing Wudu (ablution).
(سنن ابوداؤد)

Using the Miswak removes foul odor from the mouth and cleans the teeth. It also strengthens the stomach. Since a person performing Salah engages in intimate supplication and communion with Allah, the purer and cleaner the mouth, the greater the closeness to Allah.

In daily life, one should keep a Miswak. It may be cut into two smaller pieces so that it can easily be kept in one’s pocket. Whether at the office or elsewhere, whenever one performs Wudu, the Miswak can be taken out, used, and then placed back in the pocket.