Commentary on the hadith concerning the use of Siwaak at every Wudoo

Praise be to Allah,

 

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (May Allah be please with him): Allaah’s Messenger (PBUH) said,

“If I had not found it hard for my followers, – or the people – I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwaak for every Salaat (prayer).”[i]

 

Important Points Derived from the Hadeeth:

 

1. The virtues and recommendation of using miswak or Siwaak. It is on the level of those things that are obligatory – in terms of the reward that one may receive from using it.

 

2. Confirmation of the legislation to use Siwaak at the time of ablution and at the time of Salaat.

 

There are many Prophetic narrations that talk about Miswaak. Following are some of them:

 

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “Ten things are part of one’s natural disposition: Trimming the moustache, growing a beard, (using) the Miswaak, sniffing water, cutting the nails, washing hands, plucking armpits, shaving pubic hair, and conserving water.” [Muslim]

 

Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)  said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, Siwaak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord[ii].

 

 

3. The superiority of the ablution and the Salaat which is performed along with the use of Siwaak.

 

4. Nothing prevented the Prophet (PBUH) from declaring the obligation of the use of miswak except for the fear that it would be a hardship on the Muslims to fulfill that obligation.

 

5. The completeness of the concern and love of the Prophet (PBUH) for his Ummah, and his fear of any harm coming to them.

 

6. The Yusr (easiness or leniency) of the Islamic Law, and that there is neither „Usr (difficulty) in it nor Mashaqqah (hardship).

 

7. General Principle: Repulsing that which is harmful takes precedence over seeking that which is beneficial [anna dar‟a -l-mafaasid muqaddam ala jalbi -lmasaalih]. Here in this hadeeth, we find that the Prophet (PBUH) has avoided commanding the Ummah with the use of Siwaak – in spite of the tremendous benefits contained in its use – simply for fear that Allaah would make it obligatory upon them and they would not be able to fulfill that obligation. As a result, great harm would befall them due to their failure to fulfill this obligatory act.

 

8. The Prophet (PBUH) when he orders to do something it is binding except if evidence indicates that it is supererogatory.

 

9. To attach great importance to the prayer.

 

Allah Knows Best

 

Copied from Sources:

Arousing the Intellects with the Explanation of Umdatul Ahkaam. The Book Of At-Taharaah by Allama Sheikh Salih Ibn Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy on him). page 55

Tayseer al-Allaam Sharh Umdatul-Ahkaam by Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdur – Rahmaan Aal Bassaam. Page 42

 

[i] Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 2, Book 11, Hadeeth Number 887, p. 26; Saheeh Muslim, Volume 1, Book 2,

Hadeeth Number 589, p. 380

[ii] (Reported by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, 2/274, and by Ahmad, 6/47, and al-Nisaai, 1/50. Its isnaad is saheeh, see al-Irwa 1/105).