Umdat at-Talib - Al-Buhuti - (1/49)

Chapter: On the Siwāk (tooth-stick) and Other Grooming Sunnahs

• It is recommended to use the siwāk by passing it crosswise with the left hand, employing a pliant twig such as that of the arāk tree. It is disliked for a fasting person after the sun has passed its zenith. Its recommendation is especially emphasized when performing the prayer, upon waking, and whenever the mouth’s odor changes. One begins with the right side of the mouth.

• One should apply oil every other day (1) and put on kohl an odd number of strokes.

• Circumcision is obligatory for both males and females upon reaching puberty, provided one does not fear serious harm; performing it in early childhood is preferable.

It is disliked to:
• Perform qazaʿ (partially shaving the head and leaving portions unshorn) (2),
• Pierce a boy’s ear,
• Pluck out grey hairs, or
• Dye the hair jet-black.

Recommended practices include (3):
• Istihdād (shaving the pubic hair),
• Trimming the moustache,
• Clipping the fingernails, and
• Plucking the armpit hair.

Forbidden are:
• Namṣ (plucking the eyebrows),
• Wašr (filing or spacing the teeth), and
• Washm (tattooing) (4).

(1) i.e., to carry it out one day and leave it the next, or to do it at times and omit it at others. (2) Al-qaza: shaving some parts of the head while leaving other parts unshaven. (3) So reads the main manuscript; the remaining copies add: “and it is recommended.” (4) Al-nams: plucking hair from the face; al-washr: filing the teeth and creating gaps between them for adornment; al-washm: piercing the skin with a needle and filling it with kohl or similar pigment (tattooing).

بابٌ [في السِّواك وغيره] يُسن التسوُّك عَرضاً بيُسراه بِعُودٍ لَيِّنٍ مِن نَحو أَراك، ويُكره لِصائِمٍ بَعد الزَّوال، ويتأكدُ عند صَلاةٍ وانتباهٍ وتغيُّر فمٍ، ويبتدئُ بجانب فمه الأيمن. ويدَّهنُ غِبًّا (١) ، ويَكتحل وِتْراً. ويجب ختان ذكر وأنثى عند بلوغ ما لم يَخف على نفسه، وزَمن صِغَرٍ أفضل. ويُكره القَزَعُ (٢) ، وثَقْبُ أُذن صبيِّ، ونتف شيبٍ، وتغييره بِسَواد. وسُنَّ (٣) استحدادٌ، وحفُّ شاربٍ، وتقليمُ ظُفْر، ونتفُ إِبِط. وحرُم نَمْصٌ، ووَشْرٌ، ووَشْمٌ (٤) . * * *

(١) أي: يفعله يوماً ويتركه يوماً، أو يفعله أحياناً ويتركه أحياناً. (٢) القزع: حلق بعض الرأس وترك بعضه. (٣) كذا في (الأصل)، وفي بقية النسخ: "ويسن". (٤) النَّمْص: هو نتف الشعر من الوجه، والوَشْر: بَرْدُ الأسنان وتفليجها طلباً للزينة، والوشم: غرز الجلد بإبرة وحشوه بكحل أو نحوه.