The Siwaak

The SIWAAK is that which the mouth is brushed with. And it is also called the MISWAAK, the plural being: SOOK. And the siwaak comes from the Araak tree and it is a well-known tree.

Abu Hanifah said:

It is the best of the trees whose twigs are used for brushing the teeth… smelling of milk.

Abu Ziyaad said:

From it is taken there tooth-sticks – from its twigs and roots – and the best part for that is its roots, and it is broadly spreading..

And Ibn Shameel:

The Araak is a tall fine-shoot green tree with many leaves and branches, having weak wood and growing in hollows – miswaaks are taken from it, being one of the citrus trees. Its singular is Araak and its plural Araa-ik.

(Lisaan-ul-‘Arab, 268)

It is mustahabb (desirable) to use the siwaak at many different times as is established from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that he used to use the siwaak at every Prayer, and before reading the Qur’an, and before sleeping and when waking, and when the breath changes – whether fasting or not – or whether at the start of the day or in the afternoon, and it is a form of worship which is easy therefore observe it, O my Muslim Brother.

And also when making wudoo , as Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said :

If I did not fear to cause hardship to my Ummah I would have ordered them to use the siwaak with every wudoo.

[Reported by at-Tirrnidhee (no.22) who said: Hasan Saheeh, 
and Maalik (no.123), Ahmad (4/116), Abu Dawood (no.37) and others. 
Al-Albaanee declared it to be saheeh (Takhree; ul Mishkaat, no.390)].

And ‘Aa’ishah (radhiAllaahu’ anhaa) narrates that Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said :

The siwaak is a means of cleansing the mouth and pleasing the Lord.

[Al-Bukhaaree reports it in mu’allaq form – connected by Ahmad, 
an-Nasaa’ee, Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan].