بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

What Is Henna?

Henna is the dried and powdered leaf of the dwarf evergreen shrub Lawsonia inermis, a member of the family Lythraceae and sole species of the genus Lawsonia.

When applied to the skin, hair, or nails, the pigment lawsone in henna leaves interacts with the keratin which results in a reddish‐brown colour.

What is Katam?

Katam is the dried and powdered leaf of the Buxus dioica, a member of the Buxaceae family.

When applied, the pigment-skin interaction results in a dark colour – almost black – with violet undertones.

The recommendation to dye the hair [male/female] & beard [male] with henna and katam

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى لاَ يَصْبُغُونَ فَخَالِفُوهُمْ ‏”‏

Abû Hurayrah reported Allâh’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their hair), so oppose them. (Sahîh Bukhârî 2103)

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أُتِيَ بِأَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ وَرَأْسُهُ وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَالثَّغَامَةِ بَيَاضًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَىْءٍ وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ ‏

Jâbir ibn ‘Abdullâh reported that Abû Quhâfah was led (to the audience of the Holy Prophet) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and his head and beard were white like hyssop, whereupon Allâh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Change it with something but avoid black. (Sahîh Muslim 2102)

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِنَّ أَحْسَنَ مَا غُيِّرَ بِهِ هَذَا الشَّيْبُ الْحِنَّاءُ وَالْكَتَمُ ‏”

Narrated by Abû Dharr: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam. (Abû Dawûd 4205. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)

عَنْ أَبِي رِمْثَةَ، قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ مَعَ أَبِي نَحْوَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا هُوَ ذُو وَفْرَةٍ بِهَا رَدْعُ حِنَّاءَ وَعَلَيْهِ بُرْدَانِ أَخْضَرَانِ

Narrated by Abû Rimthah: I went with my father to the Prophet (ﷺ). He had locks hanging down as far as the lobes of the ears stained with henna, and he was wearing two green garments. (Abû Dawûd 4206. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْ إِلَىَّ شَعَرًا مِنْ شَعَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مَخْضُوبًا بِالْحِنَّاءِ وَالْكَتَمِ

Narrated that ‘Uthmân ibn Mawhab said:“I entered upon Umm Salamah and she brought out for me a hair of the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ), which was dyed with henna and katam.” (Ibn Mâjah 3623. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)

عَنْ أَنَسٍ، خَادِمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَيْسَ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ أَشْمَطُ غَيْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَغَلَفَهَا بِالْحِنَّاءِ وَالْكَتَمِ‏

Narrated by Anas: (the servant of the Prophet) When the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived (at Medînah), there was not a single companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) who had grey and black hair except Abû Bakr, and he dyed his hair with Henna’ and Katam. (Sahîh Bukhârî 3919)

The prohibition to dye the hair black

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ يَكُونُ قَوْمٌ يَخْضِبُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ بِالسَّوَادِ كَحَوَاصِلِ الْحَمَامِ لاَ يَرِيحُونَ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ ‏”

Narrated by Abdullâh ibn Abbâs: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: At the end of time there will be people who will dye their hair with black like the crops of doves and will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. (Abû Dawûd 4212. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî)

The recommendation to use henna on the skin (for women)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُتِيَ بِمُخَنَّثٍ قَدْ خَضَبَ يَدَيْهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ بِالْحِنَّاءِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ مَا بَالُ هَذَا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَتَشَبَّهُ بِالنِّسَاءِ ‏.‏ فَأُمِرَ بِهِ فَنُفِيَ إِلَى النَّقِيعِ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلاَ نَقْتُلُهُ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ عَنْ قَتْلِ الْمُصَلِّينَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَالنَّقِيعُ نَاحِيَةٌ عَنِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَلَيْسَ بِالْبَقِيعِ

Narrated Abû Hurayrah: Am effeminate man (mukhannath) who had dyed his hands and feet with henna was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He asked: What is the matter with this man? He was told: “Messenger of Allâh! He imitates the look of women.” So he issued an order regarding him and he was banished to an-Naqi’. The people said: Messenger of Allâh! Should we not kill him? He said: I have been prohibited from killing people who pray. Abû Usâmah said: Naqi’ is a region near Medînah and not a Baqi’.

Abu Dawûd 4928. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ أَوْمَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتْرٍ بِيَدِهَا كِتَابٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَبَضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ مَا أَدْرِي أَيَدُ رَجُلٍ أَمْ يَدُ امْرَأَةٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ بَلِ امْرَأَةٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ لَوْ كُنْتِ امْرَأَةً لَغَيَّرْتِ أَظْفَارَكِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ يَعْنِي بِالْحِنَّاءِ ‏.‏

Narrated by ‘Âishah :A woman made a sign from behind a curtain to indicate that she had a letter for the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) closed his hand, saying: I do not know if this is a man’s or a woman’s hand. She said: No, a woman. He said: If you were a woman, you would make a difference to your nails, meaning with henna.

Abû Dawûd 4166. Declared Hasan by Al-Albânî

Fatâwâ of Shaykh Abd al-‘Azîz Ibn Bâz (may Allâh have mercy upon him)

Question: Is it obligatory for a woman to put henna on her hands, because some people say that a woman is imitating men if she does not put henna on her hands? 

Answer: Undoubtedly dyeing her hands with henna is recommended. There are some hadîths concerning that which are somewhat da‘îf (weak), but it is better for her to dye them with henna. As to whether that is obligatory or it is forbidden (harâm) for her to leave her hands white, I do not know of any basis for saying that. But it is better and preferable for her to dye them with henna, so that they will not resemble the hands of a man. This is what is better and is preferable, because there are hadîths which speak of this, and because it is part of the Sunnah that is well-known among women and it was customary at the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and afterwards to dye the hands with henna, and it is preferable for women.

السؤال:
من المرسلة… وردتنا هذه الرسالة تقول فيها: 
هل يجب على المرأة وضع الحناء في يديها؛ لأن البعض يقول: إن المرأة تتشبه بالرجل إذا لم تضع الحناء في يديها؟

الجواب:
لا شك أن تغيير يديها بالحناء مستحب، وقد جاء فيه أحاديث لا تخلو من ضعف، فالأولى لها أن تغيرها بالحناء، أما كون ذلك يجب أو كونه يحرم عليها بقاء يديها بيضاء فلا أعلم له أصلاً، ولكن الأفضل والأولى أن تغيرها بالحناء حتى تكون غير مشابهة ليد الرجل، هذا هو الأفضل والأولى؛ لأنه جاء في هذا أحاديث ولأنه من السنة المعلومة بين النساء والمعروفة في عهد النبي ﷺ وبعده تغيير اليدين بالحناء هو أمر معلوم، وهو الأولى في حق المرأة

https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/27914/%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A1

The medicinal properties of Henna (L.inermis)

• Antibacterial

Henna has shown to be antibacterial against a range of bacterial organisms : Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, Bacillus spp, Klesiella pneumoniae, Salmonella spp, Shigella sonnei, Citrobacter frewndii, Vibrio cholerae, Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenzae, Aeromonas hydrophila, MRSA, Micrococcus spp, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacteriodes fragilis, Clostridium perfringens [1].

References

[1] Habbal O, Al-Jabri A, El-Hag A, Al-Mahrooqi Z, Al-Hashmi N. In vitro antimicrobial activity of Lawsonia Inermis linn (henna). A pilot study on the Omani henna. Saudi Med J 2005;26:69-72.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imâm as-Sa’dî said: “This is in reference to the creation of the small bee. Allâh blessed it with a strange type of knowledge. He made it easy for it to eat from different flowers and return to its hive, which is built with guidance from Allâh. From their stomachs they create a delicious honey that varies in colour according to the difference of land and the food they take. In it there is a cure for the people from various diseases. This is a proof of Allâh’s blessings and His unlimited kindness toward His servants. It requires that one should love Him alone and should not call other gods beside him.” (Tafsir as-Sa’dî 2/16:68-69)

Imâm Ibn Kathîr said: “What is meant by inspiration here is guidance. The bee is guided to make its home in the mountains, in trees and in structures erected by man. The bee’s home is a solid structure, with its hexagonal shapes and interlocking forms there is no looseness in its combs. Then Allâh decrees that the bee will have permission to eat from all fruits and to follow the ways which Allâh has made easy for it, wherever it wants to go in the vast spaces of the wilderness, valleys and high mountains. Then each bee comes back to its hive without swerving to the right or left, it comes straight back to its home where its offspring and honey are. It makes wax from its wings, and regurgitates honey from its mouth, and lays eggs from its rear, then the next morning it goes out to the fields again.” (Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr 16:68)

What is honey?

Honey is a natural product formed from nectar of flowers by honeybees (Apis mellifera; Family: Apidae) [1].

As of present, over 300 types of honey have been identified – depending on the different types of nectar collected by the honeybees.

The recommendation of honey in Islâm

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحِبُّ الْحَلْوَاءَ وَالْعَسَلَ

° Narrated by ‘Âishah: Allâh’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to love sweet edible things and honey. (Sahîh Bukhârî 5431)

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ ‏ “‏ الشِّفَاءُ فِي ثَلاَثَةٍ شَرْبَةِ عَسَلٍ، وَشَرْطَةِ مِحْجَمٍ، وَكَيَّةِ نَارٍ، وَأَنْهَى أُمَّتِي عَنِ الْكَىِّ ‏”

° Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbâs: (The Prophet (ﷺ) said), “Healing is in three things: A gulp of honey, cupping, and branding with fire (cauterizing).” But I forbid my followers to use (cauterization) branding with fire.” (Sahîh Bukhârî 5680)

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَخِي يَشْتَكِي بَطْنَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ اسْقِهِ عَسَلاً ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَتَى الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ اسْقِهِ عَسَلاً ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ فَعَلْتُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ، وَكَذَبَ بَطْنُ أَخِيكَ، اسْقِهِ عَسَلاً ‏”‏‏.‏ فَسَقَاهُ فَبَرَأَ

° Narrated by Abû Sa’îd: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “My brother has some Abdominal trouble [i.e diarrhoea – Sahîh Bukhârî 5716].” The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him “Let him drink honey.” The man came for the second time and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, ‘Let him drink honey.” He came for the third time and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Let him drink honey.” He returned again and said, “I have done that ‘ The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, “Allâh has said the truth, but your brother’s Abdomen has told a lie. Let him drink honey.” So he made him drink honey and he was cured. (Sahîh Bukhârî 5684)

The therapeutic benefits of honey

Gastrointestinal diseases (acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that may be caused by a variety of microbes) :

• Honey has shown to prevent gastrointestinal infections by blocking the attachment of pathogenic bacteria (i.e Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella) to the mucosal epithelium [2] [3].

• Honey has been shown to speed recovery for diarrhoea and vomiting in infants [4], children [5] and adults [6].

• Honey improves the gut microflora & inhibits the harmful and genotoxic effects of mycotoxins [7].

• Honey reduces acid reflux by stimulating the tissues on the sphincter to assist in their regrowth [8].

• Honey helps repair the intestinal mucosa and works as an anti-inflammatory agent [9].

• Honey helps heal gastric ulcers (open sores which develop on the stomach lining) [10].

Cardiovascular diseases :

• Honey has shown to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease due to the flavonoids it contains, by (a) improving coronary vasodilatation, (b) decreasing the ability of platelets in the blood to clot, and (c) preventing low-density lipoproteins from oxidising [11]. 

• Honey has shown to modulate hypertension (high blood pressure) [12].

• Honey has shown to restore cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) back to normal [12].

• Honey reduces cardiovascular disease risk factors (i.e cholesterol,  low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerole, C-reactive protein) [13].

Upper respiratory tract infections:

• Honey (a teaspoon) given to children (older than 1) before bedtime has shown to relieve cough symptoms by severity and duration, as well as improving sleep [14].

Asthma

• Honey has shown to reduce symptom severity in asthma [15].

Neurological diseases :

• Honey has shown to preserve brain functions and cognitive ability due to its antioxidant properties [16].

• Tualang honey has shown to improve learning and memory of the brain [17].

Cancer

• Honey has shown to exert anticancer effects via different mechanisms in different cancer cells – cervical, colorectal, renal, liver, skin, lung, bladder [18].

Diabetes

• Honey has shown to exert beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetes mellitus[19].

Wound healing

• Honey has shown to promote wound healing of burns and leg ulcers via several mechanisms – i) activating a tissue repair cascade by inducing leukocytes to release cytokines. ii) activating the immune response. iii) inducing antibodies [20].

References

[1] Alvarez-Suarez, J. M., Gasparrini, M., Forbes-Hernández, T. Y., Mazzoni, L. and Giampieri, F. (2014) The Composition and Biological Activity of Honey: A Focus on Manuka Honey, Foods, 3(3), pp. 420–432.

[2] al Somal, N., Coley, K. E., Molan, P. C. and Hancock, B. M. (1994) Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to the antibacterial activity of manuka honey, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 87(1), pp. 9–12.

[3] Alnaqdy, A., Al-Jabri, A., Al Mahrooqi, Z., Nzeako, B. and Nsanze, H. (2005) Inhibition effect of honey on the adherence of Salmonella to intestinal epithelial cells in vitro, International Journal of Food Microbiology, 103(3), pp. 347–351.

[4] Haffejee, I. E. and Moosa, A. (1985) Honey in the treatment of infantile gastroenteritis., British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.), 290(6485), pp. 1866–1867.

[5] Abdulrhman, M. A., Mekawy, M. A., Awadalla, M. M. and Mohamed, A. H. (2010) Bee honey added to the oral rehydration solution in treatment of gastroenteritis in infants and children, Journal of Medicinal Food, 13(3), pp. 605–609.

[6] Bansal, V., Medhi, B. and Pandhi, P. (2005) Honey–a remedy rediscovered and its therapeutic utility, Kathmandu University medical journal (KUMJ), 3(3), pp. 305–309.

[7] Ezz El-Arab, A. M., Girgis, S. M., Hegazy, E. M. and Abd El-Khalek, A. B. (2006) Effect of dietary honey on intestinal microflora and toxicity of mycotoxins in mice, BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 6, p. 6.

[8] Abdellah F., Abderrahim L. A. Honey in Traditional and Modern Medicine. Boca raton, Florida, USA: CRC Press; 2013. 8 honey for gastrointestinal; p. 159

[9] Molan, P. (2001). Why honey is effective as a medicine. 2. The scientific explanation of its effects. Bee World, 82(1), 22-40.

[10] Fazalda, A., Quraisiah, A. and Nur Azlina, M. F. (2018) Antiulcer Effect of Honey in Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Induced Gastric Ulcer Model in Rats: A Systematic Review, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2018, [online] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6076929/ (Accessed 10 September 2020).

[11] Khalil, M. I. and Sulaiman, S. A. (2010) The Potential Role of Honey and its Polyphenols in Preventing Heart Diseases: A Review, African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines, 7(4), pp. 315–321.

[12] Rakha, M. K., Nabil, Z. I. and Hussein, A. A. (2008) Cardioactive and vasoactive effects of natural wild honey against cardiac malperformance induced by hyperadrenergic activity, Journal of Medicinal Food, 11(1), pp. 91–98.

[13] Yaghoobi, N., Al-Waili, N., Ghayour-Mobarhan, M., Parizadeh, S. M. R., Abasalti, Z., Yaghoobi, Z., Yaghoobi, F., Esmaeili, H., Kazemi-Bajestani, S. M. R., Aghasizadeh, R., Saloom, K. Y. and Ferns, G. a. A. (2008) Natural honey and cardiovascular risk factors; effects on blood glucose, cholesterol, triacylglycerole, CRP, and body weight compared with sucrose, TheScientificWorldJournal, 8, pp. 463–469.

[14] Ashkin, E. and Mounsey, A. (2013) A spoonful of honey helps a coughing child sleep, The Journal of Family Practice, 62(3), pp. 145–147.

[15] Shamshuddin, N. S. S. and Mohd Zohdi, R. (2016) Gelam honey attenuates ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in a mice model of allergic asthma, Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 8(1), pp. 39–45.

[16] Azman, K. F. and Zakaria, R. (2019) Honey as an antioxidant therapy to reduce cognitive ageing, Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 22(12), pp. 1368–1377.

[17] Azman, K. F., Zakaria, R., AbdAziz, C., Othman, Z. and Al-Rahbi, B. (2015) Tualang honey improves memory performance and decreases depressive-like behavior in rats exposed to loud noise stress, Noise & Health, 17(75), pp. 83–89.

[18] Porcza, L. M., Simms, C. and Chopra, M. (2016) Honey and Cancer: Current Status and Future Directions, Diseases, 4(4), [online] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5456322/ (Accessed 10 September 2020).

[19] Porcza, L. M., Simms, C. and Chopra, M. (2016) Honey and Cancer: Current Status and Future Directions, Diseases, 4(4), [online] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5456322/ (Accessed 10 September 2020).

[20] Molan, P. and Rhodes, T. (2015) Honey: A Biologic Wound Dressing, Wounds: A Compendium of Clinical Research and Practice, 27(6), pp. 141–151.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

عَنْ عَائِشَة عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَقَالَ السِّوَاكُ مَطْهَرَةٌ لِلْفَمِ مَرْضَاةٌ لِلرَّبِّ

‘Â’isha reported: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The Siwâk is purification for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord.”

Sunan An-Nasâ’i 5. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

What is Miswak?

The best Miswak (aka Siwâk) or ‘teeth cleaning stick’ is derived from a plant species of Salvadora persica belonging to the family Salvadoraceae. Salvadora persica (Arak Tree) is known in English as the ‘tooth brush tree’. It is native to the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Iraq, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka [1].

عَنِ ابنِ مسعودٍ ، أنَّهُ كانَ يجتَني سواكًا منَ الأراكِ ،…

Narrated from Ibn Mas’ûd that he was gathering siwâk from an Arâk tree… (to the end of the hadîth)

Musnad Imâm Ahmad 3991. Declared Sahîh by Ahmad Shâkir

Especially recommended times to use the Miswak

1) At the time of every prayer

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي ـ أَوْ عَلَى النَّاسِ ـ لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ مَعَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ‏”

Narrated by Abû Hurairah: Allâh’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 Siwâk for every prayer.” (Sahîh Bukhâri 887)

2) During ablution (Wudhu)

وَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ وُضُوءٍ

Narrated by Abû Hurairah: The Prophet said, ‘But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwâk on every performance of ablution.” (Sahîh Bukhâri chapter 27: Siwâk for the person observing Saum (fast))

3) When getting up at night

عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَشُوصُ فَاهُ بِالسِّوَاكِ‏

Hudhaifah narrated that: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night, he used to clean his mouth with Siwâk. (Sahîh Bukhâri 245)

4) On jummu’ah (Friday)

قَالَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ الْغُسْلُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُحْتَلِمٍ، وَأَنْ يَسْتَنَّ وَأَنْ يَمَسَّ طِيبًا إِنْ وَجَدَ ‏

Narrated Abû Sa’îd: I testify that Allâh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and (also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwâk, and the using of perfume if it is available.” (Sahîh Bukhâri 880)

5) When entering ones home

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَ بَيْتَهُ بَدَأَ بِالسِّوَاكِ

‘Â’ishah reported: Whenever Allâh’s Messenger (ﷺ) entered his house, the first thing he did was use the Siwâk. (Sahîh Muslim 253)

It’s Anti-Bacterial effects

Miswak has antibacterial activity against a range of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (i.e Streptococcus spp. Staphylococcal spp.) & medically important pathogens (i.e Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Haemophilus influenzae) [2] [3] [4].

Its Anti-Fungal effects

Miswak has shown to have antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, [5] and Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger strains [6].

Renal transplant patients (RTPs) who used a miswak for oral hygiene were found to have a significantly lower prevalence of oral candidiasis (mouth thrush) compared with other RTPs [7].

It’s Anti-Viral effects

Miswak has shown to have virucidal activity against the Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV1) [8] [9].

It’s Anti-decay effects

Miswak is a natural source for topical fluoride [10] and aqueous extracts which inhibit the growth of cariogenic bacteria (i.e cause tooth decay) [11], and has shown to exhibit remineralising effect on white spot lesions [12].

It’s Anti-plaque effects

The use of Miswak has shown to reduce gingivitis (gum disease) and plaque build up [13].

It’s Antioxidant effects

Antioxidants are vital substances that possess the ability to protect the body from damage caused by free radical-induced oxidative stress.

Miswak contains the following antioxidant compounds and enzymes [14]:

• dominant tocopherols (γ-tocopherol, and α-tocopherol) – active as vitamin E – in the seed oil
• Δ5-avenasterol and beta-sitosterol
• campesterol and stigmasterol
• antioxidant enzymes, peroxidase, catalase, and Polyphenol oxidase

It’s Anti-inflammatory effects

Miswak exhibits natural Anti-inflammatory effects and thus, is an effective tool for tooth cleaning and a natural analgesic for toothache treatment [15].

Miswak vs Toothbrush

Miswak has shown:

• a significant reduction in gingivitis both buccally and lingually after using a Miswak five times a day compared with a conventional toothbrush [16].
• a significant reduction in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (bacterium that causes various periodontal diseases) than by toothbrushing [17].
• to be as effective as a toothbrush for reducing plaque on buccal teeth surfaces both experimentally and clinically [18].
• a significant improvement in plaque score and gingival health when Miswak was used alongside to tooth brushing [19].
• a parallel and at times greater mechanical and chemical cleansing of oral tissues as compared to a toothbrush [20].
• brushing with Miswak for 5 minutes resulted in a net reduction of the proportion of plaque deposit sites per child. Toothpaste resulted in no additional effect [21].
• that the periodontal status of Miswak users in a Sudanese population was better than that of toothbrush users, suggesting that the efficacy of Miswak use for oral hygiene in this group is comparable or slightly better than a toothbrush [22].
• is more effective than toothbrushing for reducing plaque and gingivitis. The Miswak showed to be more effective than toothbrushing for removing plaque from the embrasures, thus enhancing interproximal health [23].

References

[1] Khatak, M., Khatak, S., Siddqui, A. A., Vasudeva, N., Aggarwal, A. and Aggarwal, P. (2010) Salvadora persica, Pharmacognosy Reviews, 4(8), pp. 209–214.

[2] Al-Bayati, F. A. and Sulaiman, K. D. (2008) In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Salvadora persica L. Extracts Against Some Isolated Oral Pathogens in Iraq,.

[3] Sofrata, A. H., Claesson, R. L. K., Lingström, P. K. and Gustafsson, A. K. (2008) Strong antibacterial effect of miswak against oral microorganisms associated with periodontitis and caries, Journal of Periodontology, 79(8), pp. 1474–1479.

[4] Sofrata, A., Santangelo, E. M., Azeem, M., Borg-Karlson, A.-K., Gustafsson, A. and Pütsep, K. (2011) Benzyl isothiocyanate, a major component from the roots of Salvadora persica is highly active against Gram-negative bacteria, PloS One, 6(8), p. e23045.

[5] Noumi, E., Snoussi, M., Hajlaoui, H., Valentin, E. and Bakhrouf, A. (2010) Antifungal properties of Salvadora persica and Juglans regia L. extracts against oral Candida strains, European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases: Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology, 29(1), pp. 81–88.

[6] Saadabi M.A (2006) Antifungal Activity of Some Saudi Plants Used in Traditional Medicine, [online] Available from: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ajps.2006.907.909 (Accessed 29 August 2020).

[7] Al-Mohaya, M. A., Darwazeh, A. and Al-Khudair, W. (2002) Oral fungal colonization and oral candidiasis in renal transplant patients: the relationship to Miswak use, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics, 93(4), pp. 455–460.

[8] al-Bagieh, N. H., Idowu, A. and Salako, N. O. (1994) Effect of aqueous extract of miswak on the in vitro growth of Candida albicans, Microbios, 80(323), pp. 107–113.

[9] Brown, J. M. and Jacobs, J. W. (1979) An investigation into antibacterial activity in chewing sticks against oral streptococci, Odonto-Stomatologie Tropicale = Tropical Dental Journal, 2(5), pp. 25–30.

[10] Chawla, H. S. (1983) A new natural source for topical fluoride, Journal of the Indian Dental Association, 55(10), pp. 419–422.

[11] Darmani, H., Nusayr, T. and Al-Hiyasat, A. S. (2006) Effects of extracts of miswak and derum on proliferation of Balb/C 3T3 fibroblasts and viability of cariogenic bacteria, International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 4(2), pp. 62–66.

[12] Baeshen, H. A., Lingström, P. and Birkhed, D. (2011) Effect of fluoridated chewing sticks (Miswaks) on white spot lesions in postorthodontic patients, American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: Official Publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, Its Constituent Societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics, 140(3), pp. 291–297.

[13] Gazi, M. I., Davies, T. J., al-Bagieh, N. and Cox, S. W. (1992) The immediate- and medium-term effects of Meswak on the composition of mixed saliva, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 19(2), pp. 113–117.

[14] Ibrahim, M. M., AL Sahli, A. A. A., Alaraidh, I. A., Al-Homaidan, A. A., Mostafa, E. M. and EL-Gaaly, G. A. (2015) Assessment of antioxidant activities in roots of Miswak (Salvadora persica) plants grown at two different locations in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 22(2), pp. 168–175.

[15] Dahiya, P., Kamal, R., Luthra, R. P., Mishra, R. and Saini, G. (2012) Miswak: A periodontist’s perspective, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 3(4), pp. 184–187.

[16] Gazi, M., Saini, T., Ashri, N. and Lambourne, A. (1990) Meswak chewing stick versus conventional toothbrush as an oral hygiene aid, Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 12(4), pp. 19–23.

[17] Al-Otaibi, M., Al-Harthy, M., Gustafsson, A., Johansson, A., Claesson, R. and Angmar-Månsson, B. (2004) Subgingival plaque microbiota in Saudi Arabians after use of miswak chewing stick and toothbrush, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 31(12), pp. 1048–1053.

[18] Batwa, M., Bergström, J., Batwa, S. and Al-Otaibi, M. F. (2006) The effectiveness of chewing stick miswak on plaque removal, 18(3), p. 9.

[19] Patel, P. V., Shruthi, S. and Kumar, S. (2012) Clinical effect of miswak as an adjunct to tooth brushing on gingivitis, Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 16(1), pp. 84–88.

[20] Patel, P. V., Shruthi, S. and Kumar, S. (2012) Clinical effect of miswak as an adjunct to tooth brushing on gingivitis, Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 16(1), pp. 84–88.

[21] Danielsen, B., Baelum, V., Manji, F. and Fejerskov, O. (1989) Chewing sticks, toothpaste, and plaque removal, Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 47(2), pp. 121–125.

[22] Darout, I. A., Albandar, J. M. and Skaug, N. (2000) Periodontal status of adult Sudanese habitual users of miswak chewing sticks or toothbrushes, Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 58(1), pp. 25–30.

[23] Al-Otaibi, M., Al-Harthy, M., Söder, B., Gustafsson, A. and Angmar-Månsson, B. (2003) Comparative effect of chewing sticks and toothbrushing on plaque removal and gingival health, Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry, 1(4), pp. 301–307.