In a comprehensive and concise hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned several habits that are fundamental to personal hygiene and ordered their observance, listing them as part of the Sunnah and the Habits of the prophets. «وعن عائشة رضیاللهعنها قالت: قال رسول الله صلیاللهعلیهوسلم: عشر من الفطرة: قص الشارب، واعفاء اللحية، والسواك واستنشاق الماء، وقص الأظفار، وغسل البراجم، ونتف الإبط، وحلق العانة، وانتقاص الماء، يعني: الاستنجاء. قال الراوي: ونسيت العاشرة إلا أن تكون المضمضة» رواه مسلم، وفي الجامع: «الختان». Translation: Hazrat Umm al-Momineen Ayesha Siddiqa, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Ten things are natural and innate: trimming the mustache (the hair above the lips), growing the beard and brushing it, inhaling water (for rinsing), trimming the nails, washing the knuckles, shaving the armpit hair, and hair below the navel and in the place of Istinja; and in some hadiths, the tenth item is rinsing the mouth, while in others, it is circumcision.”
Description of the Mentioned Hadith (Cleanliness of Mouth and Teeth)
Cleanliness of the mouth and teeth is one of the important and vital issues in Islam because neglecting their cleanliness can lead to yellowness and decay of the teeth, bad breath, and the spread of infections that could affect the heart, potentially leading to dangerous health consequences. However, Islam places special emphasis on this aspect of hygiene, which is less frequently found in other religions.
The Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was very diligent about brushing his teeth (Using Miswak) in every situation: when he was traveling, when he was at home, after waking from sleep, when entering his house, when meeting people, and when performing Wudu. He strongly advised others to maintain the same practice. Yellowness and discoloration of teeth were considered very undesirable and distasteful.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: «لولا أن أشق على أمتي، لأمرتهم بتأخير العشاء وبالسواك عند كل صلاة» Translation: “If it were not hard for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay the Isha prayer so that they could brush their teeth before every prayer.” In another hadith, it is stated: “The Miswak (toothbrush) cleans the mouth and pleases Allah Almighty.”
The benefits attributed to the toothbrush are mentioned to be about 70 or 75, with the most significant benefit being the ability to articulate the phrase “There is no God but Allah” on the tongue when going to meet the Lord of the worlds. Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, succinctly expressed the benefits of the (Miswak) toothbrush, stating: «السواك يزيد في الحفظ ويذهب البلغم» “Brushing strengthens memory and removes phlegm.”
Another important habit is inhalation, which is used to clean the germs and secretions that accumulate in the mouth and nose. It is prescribed to inhale fifteen times a day. Imam Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “What collects from the pus in the labyrinths of the ear and its passage, as well as the secretions inside the nose, will be cleaned by inhaling and purifying the nose. Accumulations and yellowness that form on the teeth and sides of the tongue are removed with a toothbrush.”
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