Had it not been that I might overburden the believers—or my Ummah—I would have commanded them to use the Siwāk (toothstick) at every prayer

Chapter: Siwak (tooth-stick)

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 252

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏

لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - وَفِي حَدِيثِ زُهَيْرٍ عَلَى أُمَّتِي - لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Had it not been that I might overburden the believers—or my Ummah—I would have commanded them to use the Siwāk (toothstick) at every prayer."

Reported by Muslim (No. 252), Al-Bukhari (No. 887, 7240), Abu Dawud (No. 46), At-Tirmidhi (No. 22, 167), An-Nasa’i (No. 7, 534), Ibn Majah (No. 287, 690, 691), Malik (No. 145), Ahmad (No. 7037, 7105, 7200, 7516, 8814, 8827, 9181, 9548) and Ad-Darimi (No. 680).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if he had not been afraid of making things hard for the believers in his Ummah, he would have made it obligatory upon them to use the Siwāk with every prayer.

Lessons

The Prophet's compassion towards his Ummah and his fear of making things difficult for them.
In principle, the Prophet's command indicates obligation unless there is evidence that it is voluntary.
The recommendation and merit of using the Siwāk at every prayer.
Ibn Daqīq al-Eid said: The rationale behind the recommendation of using the Siwāk when getting up to pray is that it is a state that brings one closer to Allah, which requires its being a state of perfection and cleanness to highlight the honor of such an act of worship.
The general indication of the Hadīth includes using the Siwāk by the fasting person even after the sun's decline, as in the case of the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers.

Explanation in Arabic

أَخْبَرَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه لولا خوف المشقة على المؤمنين من أمته لأَوجب عليهم استعمال السواك مع كل صلاة.

رفق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بأمته، ومخافة المشقة عليهم.
الأصل في أَمْرِ النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الوجوب، إلا أنْ يقومَ الدليل على أنه تطوُّع.
استحباب السواك وفضله عند كل صلاة.
قال ابن دقيق العيد: الحكمة في استحباب السواك عند القيام إلى الصلاة كونها حالَ تقرُّبٍ إلى الله، فاقتضى أن تكون حالَ كمالٍ ونظافة إظهارًا لِشَرَف العبادة.
عموم الحديث يشمل السواك للصائم ولو بعد الزوال، كصلاتَي: الظهر والعصر.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقّ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتهمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْد كُلّ صَلَاة ) فِيهِ دَلِيل عَلَى أَنَّ السِّوَاك لَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ , قَالَ الشَّافِعِيّ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّه تَعَالَى - : لَوْ كَانَ وَاجِبًا لَأَمَرَهُمْ بِهِ شَقَّ أَوَ لَمْ يَشُقّ , قَالَ جَمَاعَات مِنْ الْعُلَمَاء مِنْ الطَّوَائِف : فِيهِ دَلِيل عَلَى أَنَّ الْأَمْر لِلْوُجُوبِ , وَهُوَ مَذْهَب أَكْثَر الْفُقَهَاء وَجَمَاعَات مِنْ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ وَأَصْحَاب الْأُصُول , قَالُوا : وَجْه الدَّلَالَة أَنَّهُ مَسْنُون بِالِاتِّفَاقِ , فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْمَتْرُوك إِيجَابه , وَهَذَا الِاسْتِدْلَال يَحْتَاج فِي تَمَامه إِلَى دَلِيل عَلَى أَنَّ السِّوَاك كَانَ…

Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 887

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If I had not found it hard for my followers or the people, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak for every prayer."

لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي ـ أَوْ عَلَى النَّاسِ ـ لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ مَعَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 7240

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Were I not afraid that it would be hard on my followers, I would order them to use the siwak (as obligatory, for cleaning the teeth).

لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 46

(the Prophet, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) as saying : Were it not that I might oeverburdern the believers, I would order them to delay the night ('isha ) prayer and use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer.

لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ، عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ وَبِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 22

Allah's Messenger said: "If it were not that it would be difficult on my nation, then I would have ordered them to use the Siwak for each prayer."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 167

Allah's Messenger said: "If it were not that it would be a hardship on my Ummah, then I would have ordered you to delay Isha until the third of the night, or its half."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ أَنْ يُؤَخِّرُوا الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 7

"Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the Siwak at (the time of) every Salah."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

See all 27 versions

Differing grades Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 534

"Were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay 'Isha' and to use the Siwak for every prayer."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ وَبِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 287

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah (nation), I would have commanded them to use the tooth stick at every time of prayer.'"

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 690

The Messenger of Allah said: "Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay the 'Isha'."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 691

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have delayed the 'Isha' prayer until one third or one half of the night had passed.'"

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَخَّرْتُ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Muwatta Malik 145

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Were it not that I would be overburdening my community I would have ordered them to use a tooth-stick."

"‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 7037