This Weeks Sunnah
Making Miswaak
Listen to a simple lesson and Practice upon it
“Benefits of Using Miswak”
By Mawlana Junayd Makda Sahib
We all grow up learning the importance of keeping our teeth clean and healthy.
What’s interesting is that this is actually a Sunnah of our beloved Nabi ﷺ who would regularly use a twig known as miswak to clean his teeth. Our beloved Nabi ﷺ was in fact so regular with this practice that he would even sleep with it by his bedside and at the time of his demise, it was the last thing he used!
Miswak unlike the toothbrush and toothpaste is multi-purpose and can be used as frequently as one wishes without harming the teeth. What’s best, is we get rewarded each time we use it! See how good Islam is!
Let’s look at a few times when the miswak should be used (making sure we don’t make ourselves bleed from our gums and break our wudhu when using it):
■ When learning or teaching deen, or before entering any good gathering
■ When making dhikr of Allah Ta’ala, reciting the Glorious Qur’an or reading a Hadeeth
■ Before sleeping and upon awakening
■ Before going on a journey, upon returning from a journey, after entering one’s house
■ Before meals, or at the time of sehri
■ When experiencing pangs of hunger and thirst
■ After the signs of death are evident
■ When making wudhu and before any salah.
Some Benefits of miswaak
Using miswak is said to have over 70 benefits! Let’s look at a few..
■ It pleases Allah Ta’ala and angers Shaytaan
■ It increases the reward of salah by 70 times
■ It eliminates odours of the mouth and improves sense of taste.
■ It sharpens the memory
■ It is a cure for disease in the mouth and headaches
■ It strengthens gums, prevents tooth decay, helps eliminate toothache and prevents any further tooth decay which has already started
■ It assists in food digestion and clears the voice
■ It strengthens the eyesight
Method of doing miswaak
- Ensure the miswak is the correct length. It should be a full hand span (tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb)
- Hold the miswak by placing the small finger and the thumb on the underside of the miswaak and the three middle fingers on the upper side.
- Start with the top set of teeth from the right-hand side and work across horizontally towards the left and thereafter the bottom set of teeth from the right side and work across horizontally again.
So, let’s use the miswak and while gaining all of these benefits, gain the biggest benefit and that is following yet another Sunnah of our amazing Nabi ﷺ!
Some interesting facts about miswak!
- Miswak is also known as siwak and in English is referred to as ‘nature’s little toothbrush’ or ‘chewing stick’!
- The best miswak are those taken from a tree by the name of ‘arak’, or ‘peelu’ and in English known as ‘Salvadora Persica’. Miswak taken from olive trees are also very good.
This Weeks Du'a
Dua After Eating
Thanking Allah Ta’aala is very important, and we should do this regularly. After all, He’s the One Who gives us everything, and He, therefore, deserves to be praised and thanked. But more often than that, we will forget and for this reason, our amazing Nabi ﷺ has taught us dua’s of praise for the end of almost every action.
Food and drink are prime examples of blessings from Our Merciful Allah which deserves Praise and Glorify to Him. Thankfully we have an amazing Nabi ﷺ who has taught us just how to do this through supplications after eating. One such supplication is:
الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا، وَسَقَانَا، وَجَعَلَنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
Transliteration:
Alhamdulilahil ladhee at’amana, wasaqana, waja’alana Muslimeen
Translation:
“All Praise be to Allah Who has fed us and given us drink and made us Muslims.”
[Sunan Abu Dawud]
Note: This Dua should be read after every meal whether it is a snack or a main meal of the day.
Benefits of this dua?
1) By praising Allah Ta’aala we gain His pleasure.
2) We are thanking Allah Ta’aala for not one, but 3 blessings.
a) for the blessings of food, he has given us
b) for the blessing of drink/water granted to us.
c) for the blessing of Islam.
3) A daily reminder that though food and drink are important, it is Islam that is most important.
4) Through this dua we will remind our self of everything coming from Allah Ta’ala.
5) The more we will thank Allah Ta’aala, the more Allah Ta’aala will give us!
Amazing right?! So, let’s learn this amazing dua and be sure to read it after every meal!
