while the tip of the siwak was on his tongue. Agreed upon, and this is Muslim’s wording.

1202 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The siwak is a purifier for the mouth and a means of earning the Lord’s pleasure.” Narrated by al-Nasaʾi and by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih with authentic chains. Al-Bukhari, in his Sahih, cited the report in a decisive muʿallaq form, saying, “ʿĀʾishah said….”

Commentary

The author—may Allah have mercy on him—states in his book Riyad al-Salihin, under the chapter “The Virtue of the Siwak and the Traits of the Natural Disposition”:

The siwak refers to brushing the teeth, gums, and tongue with a twig from the arak tree—the well-known siwak stick. The merit may be gained by using the arak twig or any similar stick, and the sounder opinion holds that the merit is likewise obtained with a cloth or even one’s finger, though the stick is superior.

According to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the siwak confers two great benefits, as ʿĀʾishah reported: “The siwak is a purifier for the mouth and a means of earning the Lord’s pleasure.”

“Purifier for the mouth” means that it cleanses the mouth of dirt, foul odors, and other harmful substances. His phrase “for the mouth” covers the entire oral cavity—teeth, gums, and tongue—as indicated by Abū Mūsā’s narration that he entered upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while the tip of the siwak was on his tongue.

The second benefit is that it “pleases the Lord,” meaning that one of the causes of Allah’s pleasure with His servant is the latter’s use of the siwak.