Sunan Abu Dawud

The Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم was asked about cleansing (after relieving oneself). He said: (One should cleanse oneself) with three stones which should be free from dung. Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has been narrated by Abu Usamah and Ibn Numair from Hisham.

The Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم urinated and Umar رضی اللہ عنہ was standing behind him with a jug of water. He said: What is this, Umar رضی اللہ عنہ ? He replied: Water for you to perform ablution with. He said: I have not been commanded to perform ablution every time I urinate. If I were to do so, it would become a sunnah.

The Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم entered a park. He was accompanied by a boy who had a jug of water with him. He was the youngest of us. He placed it near the lote-tree. He ( the Prophet, صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ) relieved himself. He came to us after he had cleansed himself with water.

Cleansing With Water After Relieving Oneself

The Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم said: The following verse was revealed in connection with the people of Quba': In it are men who love to be purified (ix. 108). He (Abu Hurairah) said: They used to cleanse themselves with water after easing. So the verse was revealed in connection with them.

When the Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم went to the privy, I took to him water in a small vessel or a skin, and he cleansed himself. He then wiped his hand on the ground. I then took to him another vessel and he performed ablution. Abu Dawud said: The tradition is transmitted by al-Aswad bin Amir is more perfect.

A Man Should Rub His Hands On The Ground After He Has Performed Istinja'

(The Prophet, صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ) as saying: Were it not that I might overburden the believers, I would order them to delay the night ('isha ) prayer and use the Siwak at the time of every prayer.

The Siwak

I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم say: Were it not hard on my ummah, I would order them to use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer. Abu Salamah said: Zayd ibn Khalid رضی اللہ عنہ used to attend the prayers in the mosque with his Siwak on his ear where a clerk carries a pen, and whenever he got up for prayer he used it.

Muhammad Ibn Yahya Ibn Habban asked Abdullah Ibn Abdullah Ibn Umar رضی اللہ عنہما about the reason for Ibn Umar's performing ablution for every prayer, whether he was with or without ablution. He replied: Asma, daughter of Zayd Ibn al-Khattab, reported to me that Abdullah Ibn Hanzalah Ibn Abu Amir رضی اللہ عنہ narrated to her that the Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم was earlier commanded to perform ablution for every prayer whether or not he was with ablution. When it became a burden for him, he was ordered to use tooth-stick for every prayer. As Ibn Umar رضی اللہ عنہ thought that he had the strength (to perform the ablution for every prayer), he did not give up performing ablution for every prayer. Abu Dawud said: Ibrahim bin Saad narrated this tradition on the authority of Muhammad bin Ishaq, and there he mentions the name of Ubaid Allah bin Abdullah (instead of Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Umar)

On the authority of his father ( Abu Musa al-Ashari), reported (according to the version of Musaddad): We came to the Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم to provide us with a mount, and found him using the tooth-stick, its one end being at his tongue (i. e. he wsa rinsing his mouth). According to the version of Sulaiman it goes: I entered upon the Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم who was using the tooth-stick, and had it placed at one side of his tongue, producing a gurgling sound. Abu Dawud said: Musaddad said that the tradition was a lengthy but he shortened it.

How To Use The Siwak

The Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم was using the tooth-stick, when two men, one older than the other, were with him. A revelation came to him about the merit of using the tooth-stick. He was asked to show proper respect and give it to the elder of the two.

On Using Another's Siwak

What would the Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم do as soon as he entered the house? She replied: (He would use) the siwak.

The Prophet of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم would clean his teeth with the Siwak, then he would give me the Siwak in order to wash it. So I would first use it myself, then wash it and return it.

Washing The Siwak

The Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم said: Ten are the acts according to fitrah (nature): clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the arm-pits, shaving the pubes, and cleansing one's private parts (after easing or urinating) with water. The narrator said: I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth.

The (Use Of) Siwak Is From The Fitrah (Natural Acts)

The Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم said: The rinsing of mouth and snuffing up water in the nose are acts that bear the characteristics of fitrah (nature). He then narrated a similar tradition (as reported by Aishah), but he did not mention the words letting the beard grow . He added the words circumcision and sprinkling water on the private part of the body . He did not mention the words cleansing oneself after easing . Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has been reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas رضی اللہ عنہما. He mentioned only five sunnahs all relating to the head, one of them being parting of the hair; it did not include wearing the beard. Abu Dawud said: The tradition as reported by Hammad has also been transmitted by Talq bin Habib, Mujahid, and Bakr bin Abdullah bin al-Muzani as their own statement ( not as a tradition from the Prophet, صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ). They did not mention the words letting the beard grow . The version transmitted by Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abi Maryam, Abu Salamah, and Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ عنہ from the Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم mentions the words letting the beard grow . A similar tradition has been reported by Ibrahim al-Nakha'i. He mentioned the words wearing the beard and circumcision.

When the Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم got up during the night (to pray), he cleansed his mouth with the tooth-stick.

Using The Siwak When Praying The (Voluntary) Night Prayer

Ablution water and Siwak were placed by the side of the Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم. When he got up during the night (for prayer), he relieved himself, then he used the Siwak.

The Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم did not get up after sleeping by night or by day without using the Siwak before performing ablution.

I spent a night with the Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم. When he woke up from his sleep (in the latter part of the night for prayer) he came to his ablution water. He took the tooth-stick and used it. He then recited the verse: Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are tokens (of His Sovereignty) for men of understanding (iii-190). He recited these verses up to the end of the chapter or he finished the whole chapter. He then performed ablution and came to the place of prayer. He then said two rak'ahs of prayer. He then lay down on the bed and slept as much as Allah wished. He then got up and did the same. He then lay down and slept. He then got up and did the same. Every time he used the tooth-stick and offered two rak'ah of prayer. He then offered the prayer known as witr. Abu Dawud said: Fudail on the authority if Husain reported the wording: He then used the tooth-stick and performed ablution while he was reciting the verses: Verily in the creation of the heaves and the earth. . . until he finished the chapter.

The Prophet صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم said: Allah does not accept charity from goods acquired by embezzlement as He does not accept prayer without purification.

Using The Siwak When Praying The (Voluntary) Night Prayer

The Messenger of Allah صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم said: Allah, the Exalted, does not accept the prayer of any of you when you are defiled until you performed ablution.