السِّواك

BRUSHING ONE'S TEETH

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2– The Prophet (SAWA) said in his advice to Imam Ali (AS), 'You must brush your teeth at every ablution.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 69, no. 8]

3- The Prophet (SAWA) also said in his advice to Imam Ali (AS), 'O Ali, you must brush your teeth as frequently as possible, for verily a single prayer that you perform after having brushed your teeth is better than forty days worth of prayers performed without doing so.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 137, no. 48]

4– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Ablution is a main part of faith, and brushing one's teeth is a main part of ablution.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 26200]

5– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Freshen your mouths by brushing, for verily they are the means to the Qur'an.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, 2753]

6– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Gabriel continuously advises me about brushing teeth, that I really thought he would lay it down as an obligation.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 126, no. 2]

7– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) was once asked, 'Do you consider all of these people as being real human beings
[true to their nature]?' to which he replied, 'Exclude from them the one who does not brush his teeth, …'
[Bihar al-Anwar, p. 128, no. 11].*

8– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Brushing one's teeth increases one's articulacy.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, p. 135, no. 48]

9– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'There are twelve distinctive features to brushing one's teeth: it is a recommended prophetic practice, it purifies one's mouth, brightens one's eyesight, pleases the Beneficent Lord, whitens the teeth, does away with wretchedness, strengthens one's gums, whets one's appetite for food, takes away phlegm, improves one's memory, multiplies one's rewards for good deeds, and gives pleasure to the angels.’
[al-Khisal, p. 481, no. 53]

10– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'You must brush your teeth for it removes whisperings of the heart.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 139, no. 52]

11– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, 'Brushing one's teeth brightens the eyesight, increases hair growth, and removes the tendency for frequent weeping.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, p. 137, no. 48]

12– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Brush your teeth in a horizontal manner and not in a vertical manner.’
[al-Da`aawat, p. 161, no. 445]

13– It is narrated in Bihar al-Anwar that the Prophet (SAWA) used to brush in a horizontal manner whenever he brushed his teeth, and that he would brush his teeth thrice every night: once before going to bed, once when he would wake up for his night worship, and once before going out to perform the dawn prayer. He used to brush with twigs of Arak (a thorny kind of tree) which the archangel Gabriel had told him to do.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 135, no. 47]

14– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'Verily brushing one's teeth at dawn before performing the ablution is part of recommended prophetic practice.’
[al-Faqih, v. 1, p. 480, no. 1390]


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* This is part of a longer tradition where the Imam cites several other categories of people whom he excludes from the banner of humanity for their various faults, in accordance with the verse of the Qur'an (25:44): "Do you suppose that most of them listen or apply reason? They are just like cattle; rather they are further astray from the way.” (ed.)