The Chapter of Siwak
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 12
قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «مَا زَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يُوصِينِي بِالسِّوَاكِ حَتَّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ أُحْفِيَ أَوْ أَدْرَدَ وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْجَارِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْمَمْلُوكِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيَضْرِبُ لَهُ أَجَلاً يُعْتَقُ فِيهِ. وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: «وَ مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي بِالْمَرْأَةِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي طَلاَقُهَا.
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "Archangel Jibril عليه السلام kept advising me about the miswak until I feared I might wear down my teeth or make them fall out. And Archangel Jibril عليه السلام continued to advise me about the neighbor until I thought he would make him an heir. And Archangel Jibril عليه السلام continued to advise me about servants until I thought he would set a term for them to be freed." In another report, "And Archangel Jibril عليه السلام continued to advise me about women until I thought that divorce would not be appropriate for them."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ بِالسِّوَاكِ وَ اَلْحِجَامَةِ وَ اَلْخِلاَلِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: 'Archangel Jibril عليه السلام brought down the practices of using the miswak, cupping (hijama), and flossing (khilal).'.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَكْلُ اَلْأُشْنَانِ يُذِيبُ اَلْبَدَنَ وَ اَلتَّدَلُّكُ بِالْخَزَفِ يُبْلِي اَلْجَسَدَ وَ اَلسِّوَاكُ فِي اَلْخَلاَءِ يُورِثُ اَلْبَخَرَ.
Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام said: "Consuming ushnan (a type of cleansing herb) melts the body, scrubbing with pottery wears out the body, and using a siwak in the bathroom causes bad breath”.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَرْبَعٌ مِنْ سُنَنِ اَلْمُرْسَلِينَ اَلتَّعَطُّرُ وَ اَلسِّوَاكُ وَ اَلنِّسَاءُ وَ اَلْحِنَّاءُ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Four practices are from the traditions of the messengers: applying fragrance, using siwak (toothstick), having relations with women, and using henna."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ أَفْوَاهَكُمْ طُرُقُ اَلْقُرْآنِ فَطَهِّرُوهَا بِالسِّوَاكِ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Your mouths are the pathways of the Quran, so purify them with siwak (toothstick)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «يَا عَلِيُّ عَلَيْكَ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ وُضُوءِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, said in his will to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام: "O’ Ali عليه السلام, make sure to use siwak (toothstick) before wudu (ablution) for every prayer."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «اَلسِّوَاكُ شَطْرُ اَلْوُضُوءِ.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Siwak (tooth cleaning) is half of wudu (ablution)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لَمَّا دَخَلَ اَلنَّاسُ فِي اَلدِّينِ أَفْوَاجاً أَتَتْهُمُ اَلْأَزْدُ أَرَقَّهَا قُلُوباً وَ أَعْذَبَهَا أَفْوَاهاً فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ، هَذَا أَرَقُّهَا قُلُوباً عَرَفْنَاهُ فَلِمَ صَارَتْ أَعْذَبَهَا أَفْوَاهاً فَقَالَ «إِنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَسْتَاكُ فِي اَلْجَاهِلِيَّةِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said : "When people entered the religion in large numbers, the tribe of Azd came among them with the softest hearts and the sweetest mouths. It was asked: 'O’ Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, we understand why they have the softest hearts, but why do they have the sweetest mouths?' He صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: 'They used to use siwak (toothstick) even in the pre-Islamic period.'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ طَهُورٌ وَ طَهُورُ اَلْفَمِ اَلسِّوَاكُ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Everything has a means of purification, and the means of purification for the mouth is the siwak (tooth cleaning)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَانَ يُكْثِرُ اَلسِّوَاكَ وَ لَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ فَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ تَرْكُهُ فِي فَرْطِ اَلْأَيَّامِ.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم frequently used siwak (tooth cleaning), but it is not obligatory, so it will not harm you if you leave it for a few days”.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلْبَاقِرُ وَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «صَلاَةُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِسِوَاكٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ رَكْعَةً بِغَيْرِ سِوَاكٍ.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام and Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Two units of prayer performed with siwak (tooth cleaning) are better than seventy units of prayer without siwak."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ اَلْبَاقِرُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ «لاَ تَدَعْهُ فِي كُلِّ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَ لَوْ أَنْ تُمِرَّهُ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said about the siwak: "Do not neglect it for more than three days, even if you use it just once."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «اِكْتَحِلُوا وَتْراً وَ اِسْتَاكُوا عَرْضاً.
The Prophet, said: "Apply kohl in an odd number of strokes and use siwak (tooth cleaning) across the width of the mouth”.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ تَرَكَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ اَلسِّوَاكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْبَضَ بِسَنَتَيْنِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَسْنَانَهُ ضَعُفَتْ.
It is reported that Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام stopped using siwak two years before he passed away, as his teeth had weakened.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ سَأَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَخَاهُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَسْتَاكُ مَرَّةً بِيَدِهِ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى صَلاَةِ اَللَّيْلِ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى اَلسِّوَاكِ فَقَالَ «إِذَا خَافَ اَلصُّبْحَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ.
Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام about a man who uses his hand to clean his teeth when he gets up for the night prayer (Salat Al Layl), even though he has access to siwak. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he fears that dawn is approaching, there is no harm in doing so."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «لَوْ لاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ وُضُوءِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "If it were not burdensome for my community, I would have commanded them to use siwak (tooth cleaning) with each wudu (ablution) before every prayer."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ رُوِيَ: «لَوْ عَلِمَ اَلنَّاسُ مَا فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ لَأَبَاتُوهُ مَعَهُمْ فِي لِحَافٍ.
It is narrated: "If people knew what benefits siwak holds, they would keep it with them in their bedding at night."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّ اَلْكَعْبَةَ شَكَتْ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا تَلْقَى مِنْ أَنْفَاسِ اَلْمُشْرِكِينَ فَأَوْحَى اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهَا «قِرِّي يَا كَعْبَةُ فَإِنِّي مُبْدِلُكِ بِهِمْ قَوْماً يَتَنَظَّفُونَ بِقُضْبَانِ اَلشَّجَرِ» فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ نَبِيَّهُ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ اَلرُّوحُ اَلْأَمِينُ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ بِالسِّوَاكِ.
It has been narrated: "The Kaaba complained to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, about the distress it suffered from the breaths of the polytheists. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Exalted be He, revealed to it: 'Calm yourself, O’ Kaaba, for I will replace them with a people who purify themselves with branches of trees.' When Allah سبحانه وتعالى sent His Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, the Trustworthy Spirit, Archangel Jibril عليه السلام, descended upon him with the siwak (toothstick)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «فِي اَلسِّوَاكِ اِثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ خَصْلَةً هُوَ مِنَ اَلسُّنَّةِ وَ مَطْهَرَةٌ لِلْفَمِ وَ مَجْلاَةٌ لِلْبَصَرِ وَ يُرْضِي اَلرَّحْمَنَ وَ يُبَيِّضُ اَلْأَسْنَانَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْحَفْرِ وَ يَشُدُّ اَللِّثَةَ وَ يُشَهِّي اَلطَّعَامَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْبَلْغَمِ وَ يَزِيدُ فِي اَلْحِفْظِ وَ يُضَاعِفُ اَلْحَسَنَاتِ وَ تَفْرَحُ بِهِ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةُ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Siwak (tooth cleaning) has twelve benefits: it is part of the Sunnah (tradition), purifies the mouth, improves vision, pleases the Merciful, whitens the teeth, removes decay, strengthens the gums, increases appetite, removes phlegm, enhances memory, multiplies good deeds, and brings joy to the angels."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
Commentary #1