1/26. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 49 — Using Siwak on the Tongue
How To Use The Siwak
Hadith About Using Siwak on the Tongue
Sunan Abi Dawud : 49
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 49
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْعَتَكِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ قَالَ أَتَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يَسْتَاكُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ - قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يَسْتَاكُ وَقَدْ وَضَعَ السِّوَاكَ عَلَى طَرَفِ لِسَانِهِ - وَهُوَ يَقُولُ " إِهْ إِهْ " . يَعْنِي يَتَهَوَّعُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ فَكَانَ حَدِيثًا طَوِيلاً اخْتَصَرْتُهُ .
Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari Narrated from:
Narrated Abu Burdah: On the authority of his father ( Abu Musa al-Ash'ari), reported (according to the version of Musaddad) : We came to the Apostle of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) to provide us with a mount, and found him using the tooth-stick, its one end being at his tongue (i.e. he was rinsing his mouth). According to the version of Sulaiman it goes : I entered upon the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) 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.
[1] His father is Abū Mūsā Al-‘Ash‘arī, and Musad-dad and Sulaimān are both Shaikhs of the author, he narrated it from the two of them, and has mentioned the variation in wording they reported for Abū Mūsā’s Hadīth .Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 49In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 49English translation : Book 1, Hadith 49
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 49
This hadith about using siwak on the tongue gives a direct image of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم mouth cleaning. Abu Musa al-Ashari, through Abu Burdah, reports that they came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and found him using the tooth-stick. One version says one end was at his tongue. Another version says the siwak was placed at one side of his tongue, and he was making a sound as he cleaned. The core topic is siwak and mouth hygiene. The hadith does not give a long speech, but it shows that the tooth-stick was not only used on the teeth in this report. It was also used in connection with the tongue.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is described using the tooth-stick on or near his tongue.
- The narration shows care for mouth cleanliness.
- Different wordings describe the same basic scene of using siwak.
- The hadith keeps the focus on a practical action, not a long ruling.
