Especially emphasized at the time of prayer, …

His statement, “especially emphasized,” is a second predicate of the phrase “using the tooth-stick.” Multiple predicates are permissible. Allah the Exalted says: “And He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Loving.” [al-Buruj: 14] Thus, “the Most Loving” is a second predicate. It cannot be an adjective of “the Most Forgiving,” because “the Most Forgiving” is itself an adjective in the general semantic sense, not in the grammatical sense.

His statement, “at the time of prayer”: the evidence is the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him: “Were it not that I would cause hardship for my community, I would have commanded them to use the tooth-stick at every prayer” (1). The word “at” in the hadith and in the author’s words indicates proximity, for being “at” something entails being near it. Allah the Exalted says: “Indeed, those who are with your Lord” [al-A‘raf: 206]. Likewise, regarding the book that He wrote, He said that it is with Him, above the Throne (2).

Thus, the Prophet’s words, “at every prayer,” mean close to it; and the closer it is to the prayer, the better. As for the claim of some that “at the time of prayer” means at the time of ablution, this is incorrect, because ablution may precede the prayer by a considerable time,