﷽

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful.

Peace and Blessings of Almighty Allah(ﷻ), be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his blessed descendants and his noble companions.

السلام عليكم ورحمةالله وبركاته○

My dear lovely sisters,

Nowadays, sadly it has become a norm in this generation, that you start performing sunnahs after you learn the scientific studies which proves the excellency of the specific sunnah in all ways of your daily life.

We as muslims believe our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is our last Prophet who came to guide us with his teachings and By the Divine words of Almighty Allah. We accept him wholeheartedly and we love to perform his sunnahs and gain the love of Almighty Allah. We know the beloved companions of Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) were ready to perform each and every sunnah they learn, and they were so eager to practise every sunnah without a second thought! For example they were the people who count the number of teeth visible when Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) smiles and would try hard to practise that smile! They were not ready to leave a simple sunnah even if it was the way of smile! Subhaan Allah. (May peace be upon all of them).

We all should ask ourselves whether we are ready to practise the sunnahs we already know before you learn even more?

So Miswak was one of the most sacred sunnah of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ), He did not miss this sunnah even in his deathbed! Which emphasizes its importance very much.

Are you ready to follow it without a second thought? Or Do you need the scientific studies to perform this sunnah?

I'm ready to share some beneficial points of Miswak based on latest studies. So please learn its importance and make it as a habit of your daily Routine in the intention of sunnah and enjoy the bliss you get when Almighty is pleased by that act!

Miswaak, also known as Swak or Sewak, and better known in the West as the 'Chewing Stick'.

The Miswak is a 100% organic, a natural and traditional toothbrush that is obtained from the twigs of the Arak Tree (also called Peelu Tree). Although a few other trees can be used as well, such as walnut and olive trees.

This teeth cleaning stick can be seen as very alien in our western or non Muslim society, I mean you can imagine so many people raising an eyebrow and questioning why anyone would think to put a wooden twig in their mouth to chew on or clean their teeth with? But the truth is, it's used on a regular and even daily basis by Muslims from all over the world for centuries, and they do so because it is a Sunnah, (that our beloved blessed prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) practiced.)

The following Hadith indicates that all the Prophets (Peace be upon Them) used the Miswak too, to maintain their oral hygiene as well as gain the pleasure of Allah SWT.

"Abu Ayyub (R) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:

'Four things are amongst the practices of the Ambiyaa -•circumcision,
•application of perfume,
•Miswaak and
•marriage'."

(Reported by Ahmad & Tirmithi)

This hadith tells us the Miswak was something the ancient man has used for centuries in place of the toothbrush, not only providing a spiritual benefit, but also benefiting the everyday maintenance of their mouth, gums, and teeth.

So although the Miswak sounds outdated to use as a form of oral hygiene, studies conducted on it prove otherwise. Confirmed results have proven Miswak to be better than toothpaste for preventing gum disease. Due to these facts coming out, the West is now slowly recognizing the Miswak as the 'chewing stick' and a form of alternative medicine.

There are 70 benefits of Miswak as suggested by Islamic Literature and many of these have been scientifically proven but many still haven't been studied yet.

Benefits of Miswak

• Kills Gum disease causing bacteria.

• Fights plaque effectively.

• The bark contains an antibiotic which surpresses the growth of bacteria and the formation of plaque.

• Research shows that regular use of miswak significantly reduces plaque, gingivitis and growth of cariogenic bacteria.

• Possesses strong antibacterial properties.

• If used regularly on a daily basis, it whitens and brightens the teeth leaving them with a shiny glow.

• Removes Bad breath and odor from mouth and creates a pleasant fragrance.

• The Minerals in this root or twig include potassium, sodium, chloride, sodium bicarbonate and calcium oxides.These ingredients all strengthen the tooth enamel.

•Does all the above naturally without the need of any additional products such as toothpaste

•Helps to effectively clean between teeth due to its parallel bristles.

•Acting as a floss as well as a toothbrush.

•Increases salivation and inhibits the dry mouth (Xerostomia)

•100% organic and natural alternative to toothpaste for those avoiding fluoride products, believing them to be dangerous & harmful.

•Improves and preserves the taste buds.

•Reduces stains from tobacco products, coffee and tea.

•The form and convenient shape of the Miswak makes it easier to get into those hard to reach places, that a standard toothbrush is too big for.

•It also massages the gums for healthier teeth.

•Due to the advantage of cutting off the used tip, the Miswak can be reused again & again until it gets too short to hold appropriately. Saving you money on those extra brushes.

•Miswak is a cure for toothache and improves the sense of taste.

•Miswak sharpens the memory and is a cure for headaches.

•Assists in digestion and clears the voice.

•The greatest benefit of using Miswak is gaining the pleasure of Allah.

•The reward of Salaah (Prayers) is multiplied 70 times if Miswak was used before it.

•He satisfies Allah and finds his resting place in Jannah.

•Honours the footsteps and practices of all the Prophets.

•It ensures Barakah in hiz rizk.

•Avoids headache and phlegm troubles.

•Toothache is eliminated.

•It brightens and lightens up the face.

•He will be blessed with good health, smart appearance, sonorous voice, bright face, clear sight, delayed greying.

Just see the benefits of miswak at no cost!

■Scientific Studies on Miswak

1) The famous Wrigley Company (well known for their chewing gum & Mint products) made a study on Miswak which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The study found that mints laced with Miswak extract were 20 times more effective in killing bacteria than ordinary mints. A small testimony to this fact is that after half an hour, the mints laced with Miswak extract killed about 60% of the bacteria where as the ordinary mints managed only 3.6%

2) In August, the journal of Periodontology(2008) released a study conducted by Swedish researchers on Miswak. The study apparently found that suspended Miswak pieces in a petridish (medium for culturing bacteria) were able to kill bacteria that cause periodontal disease with out being in physical contact with the bacteria. The researchers suggested that Miswak might be giving antibiotics as gases trying to explain this phenomenon.

3) A study which compared tooth brushing with Miswaking can be seen on Pubmed (U.S National Library for Medicine Service). The study concluded that Miswak was more effective than tooth brushing in reducing plaque and gingivitis. Similar studies found on the same website and elsewhere vouch for the effectiveness of the Miswak stick over the toothbrush.

4) A study conducted by a group of dentists atKing Saud University concluded that using Miswak was at least as good as tooth brushing, if not better. There have been plenty of published studies on Miswak and infact entire books published which study its oral and systemic benefits.

Ok I'm Convinced, How do I get a Miswak?

You can find wide range of Miswaks and Miswak products available on the website given below, the following link will take you straight to dental products

Theislamicestablishment.com

From only £1.00 a Miswak and Free delivery to your door any where within the UK, with no minimum order required. Tell me who can resist?

Alternatively you can pop into store at : 68 Asfordby Street, Leicester, LE5 3QG

How to Use a Miswak ?

To use your Miswak stick:

• Remove the stick from it's plastic packaging and trim, scrape, cut or chew about 1-2cm of the 'bark' off one end of the stick.

• Then chew on the exposed end until the twig forms a good, sufficient amount of bristles.

• Brush your teeth with these bristles as you normally would without toothpaste making sure you cover all areas.

• A Miswaak should be held in such a manner that the small finger and thumb is below the Miswak and the remaining fingers on its upper side.

• It should not be longer than a "span" i.e. the maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger, and it should not be thicker than a finger.

• Every so often when you notice the bristles looking a bit worn, cut off the exposed bristles, and once again peel off another 1-2cm of bark and start a fresh.

So there you have it, a small introduction to the Miswak and it's benefits.

I pray you found this update useful and sincereley hope you practise and share your knowledge with others!

Happy brushing!

Jazakum Allahu Khairan.

"سُبْحَانَكَ اللْهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ"

'Glory be to You O Allah, and with Your praise, I testify that there is no God (worthy of worship) except You, I seek Your forgiveness, and I repent to You.'