Miswak Benefits in Islam: A Guide to an Essential Sunnah

This incident makes it crystal clear that every Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) is a guide for humanity. It is impossible to attain the pleasure of Allah while abandoning the Sunnah. In the Holy Quran, Allah states:

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.'”

(Surah Al-Imran, Ayah: 31)

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Whoever loves my Sunnah has loved me, and whoever has loved me will be with me in Paradise.”

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2678)

Therefore, those who ridicule the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) should take a lesson from this story. Because when the punishment of Allah arrives, there will be no escape.

The Blessed Sunnah of Miswak & Its Benefits in Islam

The Miswak is an immensely important Sunnah, yet many do not give it the significance it deserves. The comprehensive miswak benefits in islam extend to both this world and the Hereafter, holding countless blessings for the believer.

70 Times More Reward: It is narrated from Aisha (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The prayer offered after using the Miswak is seventy times more virtuous than the prayer offered without it.” (Shu’ab al-Iman, al-Bayhaqi, Hadith: 2519)

The Pleasure of Allah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also said, “Use the Miswak, for it cleanses the mouth and is a means of pleasing the Lord.” He continued, “Jibril (Gabriel) advised me to use the Miswak so frequently that I feared it might be made obligatory upon my Ummah (community).” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 289)

10 Proven Miswak Benefits in Islam

One Hadith mentions ten benefits of the Miswak:

1. It cleanses the mouth.
2. It is a means of pleasing Allah.
3. It angers the Shaytan (Satan).
4. Allah and His angels love the one who uses the Miswak.
5. It strengthens the gums.
6. It eliminates phlegm.
7. It creates a pleasant fragrance in the mouth.
8. It gets rid of bile.
9. It improves eyesight.
10. It eradicates bad breath.

Scholars have stated that the Miswak has more than seventy benefits. Among them, one of the greatest is that it helps one to recite the Kalima (declaration of faith) at the time of death. Ali (RA) said that using the Miswak enhances memory.

Three Instructive Stories About the Miswak

Hazrat Shibli (rh) and His Love for the Sunnah

Once, Hazrat Shibli (rh) needed a Miswak while preparing for wudu (ablution) but could not find one. He eventually purchased a Miswak for one dinar (a gold coin). Seeing this, someone remarked, “Spending so much for a single Miswak is extravagant!”

He replied, “To Allah, this entire world and everything in it is not worth even the wing of a fly. On the Day of Judgment, if Allah were to ask me, ‘Why did you not spend a resource, which to Me is not even worth the wing of a fly, to practice a Sunnah of My Prophet?’—what answer would I give then?”

The Impact of Miswak on Memory

Hazrat Ibrahim an-Nakha’i (rh) used to forget whatever he studied. One night, he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in a dream and told him about his problem. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him several pieces of advice, one of which was: “Use the Miswak with every wudu.”

Hazrat Ibrahim an-Nakha’i (rh) said, “After waking up, I began to follow the advice of the Prophet (ﷺ). As a result, not only did my memory improve, but within a short period, Allah blessed me with enormous knowledge.”