MISWAK OR TOOTH BRUSH OR BOTH

WHAT DO YOU USE TO CLEAN YOU TEETH?

  • MISWAK (a stick of wood)

    Votes: 4 7.4%
  • TOOTH BRUSH

    Votes: 28 51.9%
  • BOTH

    Votes: 22 40.7%

  • Total voters
    54

helpinghumanity

Junior Member
:salam2:

I have been thinking of switching from tooth brush to MISWAK for few days now.

The purpose of tooth brush is to clean the teeth and miswak holds the same purpose. However miswak is a sunnah. So i would be doing 2 things at a time. Fulfilling the sunnah and cleaning the teeth.

So as these thoughts possessed me i went to the local market and purchased a MISWAK (a stick of wood). However i still didn't used it though.

The guy said that this miswak came from SAUDI ARABIA (the name is SIWAK and it was wrapped in a plastic covering). As I opened it i felt a strange smell. I don't know whether it was smell or fragrance but i did not like it. I put that SIWAK in a cup of water for a day. Hopefully that smell or fragrance goes away.


So what do you guys think should i use tooth brush along with tooth paste or should i use Miswak?What do you guys use? If you use siwak how do you use it? Like what is the preferred method of using it?

To the doctors .....are there any side effects of using tooth brush along with toothpaste????
 

muslimeen1989

Junior Member
:salam2:

I use both, but when i use the miswak i feel its benefits more than the toothbrush, but i have lost my miswak so i use toothbrush now i need to find a soft miswak my teeth are sensitive.....

But the sunnah the better :ma:

:wasalam:
 

Roby Rahman

Junior Member
Asalamualaikum

I own a miswak and I use toothbrush, but did you know when using miswak before salat (prayer) ALLAH the almighty gives you 70 times the reward for that prayer. In fact Rasoolulah SWAS would have said to make using the miswak mandatory but he feared that all of us would not be able to do that thats why it is optional. I read this information in a Hadith book named Riyadh-Us-Saleheen, hope I was able to help out. Wasalamualaikum.
 

TeenagerMuslim

Junior Member
Wa'alikum Salaam brother,

I find siwak more refreshing and healthier, as in dental health and as well as spiritual health, than toothbrush. Like me, you might even find that siwak helps in acquiring khushu' (concentration and humbleness) in your Salaah! Insha'Allah.

As for that smell you are bit afraid of, the one I use also comes in plastic wrapping and does smell bit strange. You will find, as you are, this smell bit weird at start but after couple of days or so you will start liking it - and you will then term it fragrance too. Please at least just cos of the smell don't stop taking this cool step, this is just smell of the natural herbs which are heavily beneficial for your teeth.

What is the sunnah with regard to siwaak?
Most informative excerpt from the above page:
Siwaak is a method of cleaning the mouth which also earns the pleasure of Allaah, as is proven in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Siwaak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord.’” (Reported by [??] al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, 2/274, and by [??] Ahmad, 6/47, and al-Nisaa’i, 1/50. Its isnaad is saheeh, see al-Irwa’ 1/105).

Use of the siwaak is repeatedly encouraged, as in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwaak at every time of prayer.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/299 and Muslim, 1/151). According to another report narrated by al-Bukhaari, he said: “…at every time of making wudoo’.”

Imaam al-Nawawi reported that the respectable scholars were agreed that use of the siwaak is sunnah and is encouraged. One of the signs of its importance is the fact that some of the salaf (early generations of Islam), such as Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh, thought that it was obligatory.

Dental Health and the Miswak
"Siwak is ultimate environmentally safe toothbrush. Some people even believe it works better than a toothbrush." So let's start using it - another easy to follow cool Sunnah. :) Insha'Allah.
 

saif

Junior Member
Whether miswak is a Sunnah or not, it depends on your understanding of the Sunnah. We know, for example, that the Prophet :saw: ate dates. Now if you conclude from that, that eating dates is a Sunnah, then I would say, yes, miswak is also a Sunnah.

Now towards my understanding: Cleaning the teeth is a Sunnah. Miswak or Tooth brush are ways to fulfill this sunnah. Which one serves that purpose better should be a topic of research of natural sciences and not religion. If it can be proved, that Miswak is better than tooth brush, then bismillah.. why not.. And if tooth brush is better, then it is a result from natural sciences, which can make the fulfillment of this sunnah better.

I understand, that this is not a thread to discuss the definition of Sunnah. If you don't agree, then just ignore my post. If you want references, I can quote Hujjatullahi albaligha by Shah Wali-Allah Muhaddas Dehlawi to prove my point. (Of course he did not discuss this particular issue directly).

:wasalam:
 

daywalker

Junior Member
Now if you conclude from that, that eating dates is a Sunnah, then I would say, yes, miswak is also a Sunnah.
:salam2: Bring 5 hadith about dates where prophet(sw) is telling its importancy, i will bring 5 hadith where prophet(sw) telling importancy of miswak, inshallah.

and about scientific issue?

http://www.dentalhealthsite.com/what-is-miswak/

but none of us stop to use one and brush with another one. both are good mashallah, and Miswak is closer to sunnah.
 

HaQRehman

Slave of ALLAH (SWT)
:salam2:
It has been scientifically proven that miswak is better than tooth brush :mashallah: No wonder why it is sunnah ..

:wasalam:
 

Zaynab123

Subhana Allah!
Asalamu alaykum

I think you should use it brother, i 've heard its sunnah too. I tried to use but i couldn't chew it. Beacuse i had braces and my teeth aren't strong enough yet. But now i use tooth brush. Insha Allah maybe after year or so i'll start using it.

wasalam
 

saif

Junior Member
:salam2: Bring 5 hadith about dates where prophet(sw) is telling its importancy, i will bring 5 hadith where prophet(sw) telling importancy of miswak, inshallah.

and about scientific issue?

http://www.dentalhealthsite.com/what-is-miswak/

but none of us stop to use one and brush with another one. both are good mashallah, and Miswak is closer to sunnah.

:salam2:

I hope you could understand, that in the first paragraph of my mail I wanted to conclude that cleaning teeth with miswak is just as less a sunnah as eating dates is. I do accept, that cleaning teeth is a sunnah, because cleanliness is part of deen.

As you might have noticed, I do not belong to those muslims, for whom Hadith and Sunnah are synonymous words. That means, for them every (sahih) hadith is defining Sunnah. To keep the discussion short, I will not go into more details but just simply explain my point with the help of the example of dates.

We all know, that we can find numerous ahadith, which prove that the Prophet :saw: ate dates. We might also prove that he liked eating them. We might further prove that he suggested dates as a remedy to some illnesses. The question is, does that make it a Sunnah? The answer of Shah Wali Allah is: no. Quran and Sunnah constitute our deen. For something to become Sunnah, it has to be deen by its nature. Cleaning yourself is most certainly an act of deen, so I have no issue with accepting that, for example, cleaning your teeth is an act of deen and therefore also a sunnah. But what about eating, when you are hungry? (I am not talking about manners of eating and I am also not talking about halal and haram issues). To get something to eat is an instinct and certainly the Prophet would also eat the taiyyeb things available to him. Deen would certainly provide guidance about impure things but eating something particular to answer the call of nature (i.e. hunger) is not deen and not sunnah as a consequence, no matter how many ahadith report him :saw: eating dates.

The second question is, is prophet's medicine Sunnah? Again the answer of Shah Wali Allah is: no. The prophet came to give us deen. But why shouldn't he share his knowledge of medicine of his time with others, just like our grandfathers also tell us, what to take to get, for example, our digestion system running. So when the Prophet asks his mother in law, what she would take to get his belly running, it is a normal consultation and it has nothing to do with deen. When she tells him, she takes shabram (I don't know, what exactly that is), he says, isn't it too hot.. Now, does that make shabram haram or makruh? Then he suggests her to take senna. Does that make it a part of deen to cure your constipation with senna? Certainly not. If today's medicine has a better solution, deen is not stopping you to take it and it does not make you less adherent to sunnah. Consequently, even if the Prophet cured, for example, heart deseases with date's kernel, it does not make it a part of our deen and it does not make it a sunnah.

I am sure, you can get more than 5 ahadith to prove the importance of miswak. But deen's circle of interest (among other things) is your cleanliness. If you reread all ahadith about miswak in this context, you can easily conclude, that it is not a stick of certain length from a certain tree in arabian peninsula, what is Prophet is actually talking about but he is actually telling you the virtues of cleaning your teeth. If you clean your teeth with tooth brush, that does not make you any less adherent to Sunnah.

Conclusion: If your human knowledge tells you, that tooth brush and tooth paste are a valid option to clean your teeth, then deen has nothing to put against it and it is just as much a sunnah as miswak is.

I hope it clarifies my position. Like I said in the beginning, that sunnah might be something else for you. So if eating dates is a sunnah, then yes, miswak is a sunnah and tooth brush is not.

:wasalam:
 

Almeftah

Junior Member
I enjoy using Siwak, Specially during Ramadan.

But i cant let a day pass without using a toothbrush.
 

helpinghumanity

Junior Member
:salam2:
I hope it clarifies my position. Like I said in the beginning, that sunnah might be something else for you. So if eating dates is a sunnah, then yes, miswak is a sunnah and tooth brush is not.

:wasalam:

:salam2: brother

I hope you are in the best of health and eeman.

Brother would you like to define Sunnah? What is Sunnah?
 

helpinghumanity

Junior Member
i have miswak, but i dont use it...i use tooth brush..my dad uses it a lot

:salam2: sister:
Will you change your mind and start using it once you realize its importance? Once you know the saying of Rasool Allah......

I think you will...... right?


:salam2:

I use both, but when i use the miswak i feel its benefits more than the toothbrush, but i have lost my miswak so i use toothbrush now i need to find a soft miswak my teeth are sensitive.....

But the sunnah the better :ma:

:wasalam:

:wasalam: sister:

Ahhh you lost the miswak? That's not good.....Inshallah get another one pretty soon.....

The miswak that i got purchased it yesterday, my dad is using it now........so i am miswakless...inshallah will purchase another one on coming Thursday.
 

munawarah

Junior Member
assslaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah

i like using miswaak as it whitens teeth better than toothpaste and toothbrush
but toothpaste makes my breath fresh and minty!!!!HAH...lol
 

daywalker

Junior Member
We all know, that we can find numerous ahadith, which prove that the Prophet :saw: ate dates.
:salam2:
you missread my question brother, i said mention 5 hadith where IMPORTANCE of dates can be proofed, and i will bring 5 hadith where IMPORTANCE OF MISWAK will be proofed. Its not about just mentioning word DATES or MISWAK. its about importancy.
If you clean your teeth with tooth brush, that does not make you any less adherent to Sunnah.
but ask your doctor , what they say about brushing 10 time with toothpaste everyday. they will say soon you will lost your teeth! where use miswak 15 time, still a good method!
I hope it clarifies my position. Like I said in the beginning, that sunnah might be something else for you. So if eating dates is a sunnah, then yes, miswak is a sunnah and tooth brush is not.
eating dates dont bring virtue for our salah, but using miswak increase virtue of salah. and as i said none uses tooth paste and tooth brush 5 time a day, but miswak can be used 15 time. ask your dentist inshallah who has studied with it.
 

saif

Junior Member
:salam2:
you missread my question brother, i said mention 5 hadith where IMPORTANCE of dates can be proofed, and i will bring 5 hadith where IMPORTANCE OF MISWAK will be proofed. Its not about just mentioning word DATES or MISWAK. its about importancy.

.

:salam2:
Ok, now I have got your point. You see, I do recognize, that by miswak you are fulfilling a sunnah of cleaning the teeth and by dates you are doing nothing of that kind, except for satisfying your hunger. I was methodically trying to separate the areas of science and sunnah. I am very glad to accept those scientific facts about miswak and that should be the reason to opt for miswak, even though other valid options are available too. In fact, comparing one with the other was not my topic at all. My understanding is, that it is not even a topic of religion.

I still reiterate my point, that all ahadith about increased virtues of salat after miswak also remain true for tooth brush. If you cannot find a tooth brush and too paste to use 15 times a day, that's a practical difficulty. That does not nullifies my point, that the Prophet is concerned about the cleanliness of our teeth and not necessarily about explaining us the advantages of miswaks of a particular tree.

I can explain it with a negative example this time. Quran uses the word khamr to declare wine haram. We do not conclude by that, that only wine is haram but we conclude that all intoxicants are haram.

:wasalam:
 
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