THE CHAPTER ON PURIFICATION · 26 – HOW TO USE THE MISWAK
49 – From his father (and Musaddad narrated that it was from the father of Abu Burda):
We came to the Messenger of Allah seeking camels to carry our loads. I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, using a miswak on his tongue.
Suleyman related that the father of Abu Burda said: “I entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and he was using a miswak. He had placed it on one side of his tongue and was making a sound like someone vomiting.”
Abu Dawud narrated through Musaddad: "This was a long hadith, but I have shortened it." [66]
EXPLANATION
The term “tehevvu’” in the hadith text means the sound made by someone who is expelling phlegm.
The miswak should be about a hand's length and the thickness of a finger. The thumb and little finger are placed beneath the miswak, while the index and middle fingers are placed above it, and it is used horizontally, starting from the right side of the teeth. Its importance in preserving health and ensuring the strength of the teeth is very great. Using brushes and toothpaste also helps to keep the teeth clean and strong. However, the qualities found in the miswak are not found in a brush.
Someone who uses both a miswak and a brush has acted in a commendable manner.
It is recommended to use a miswak when the Qur’an is being recited, when prayer is about to begin, upon waking from sleep, after eating, and when entering a gathering.