For Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to like starting with the right side when putting on his shoes, combing his hair, performing his purification (wudu), and in all his affairs. Agreed upon (13). He would wash it with water to remove what was on it. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to give me the miswak so that I could wash it (14). I would start with it and use it, then wash it, and then hand it back to him. Extracted by Abu Dawud (15). It was also narrated from her that she said: We used to prepare for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) three vessels covered at night: a vessel for his purification, a vessel for his miswak, and a vessel for his drink. Extracted by Ibn Majah (16).
Section: It is recommended that the miswak be a soft stick that cleans the mouth, does not wound it, does not harm it, and does not crumble inside it, such as arak wood or the dried spathe of a palm tree (urjun). One should not use a pomegranate stick, myrtle, or...
= The hadiths concerning the miswak have already passed. For (the practice of) grooming occasionally (ghibban), see what was extracted by Abu Dawud in: The beginning of the Book of Grooming, Sunan Abi Dawud 2/394; al-Tirmidhi in: The chapter on what has been narrated regarding the prohibition of grooming except occasionally, from the chapters on dress, Aridat al-Ahwadhi 7/258; al-Nasa'i in: The chapter on grooming occasionally, from the Book of Adornment, Al-Mujtaba 8/114; and Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 4/86. Regarding applying kohl in odd numbers, see what was extracted by Abu Dawud in: The chapter on veiling in the toilet, from the Book of Purification, Sunan Abi Dawud 1/8; Ibn Majah in: The chapter on choosing a place for urine and feces, from the Book of Purification, and in: The chapter on one who applies kohl in odd numbers, from the Book of Medicine, Sunan Ibn Majah 1/122, 2/1157; al-Darimi in: The chapter on veiling when answering the call of nature, from the Book of Wudu, Sunan al-Darimi 1/169; and Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 2/356, 371, 4/156. (13) Extracted by al-Bukhari in: The chapter on starting with the right side in wudu and bathing, from the Book of Wudu; the chapter on starting with the right side when entering the mosque and other places, from the Book of Prayer; the chapter on starting with the right side when eating and other things, from the Book of Foods; and the chapter on starting with the right shoe and the chapter on grooming, from the Book of Dress. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/53, 116, 7/89, 198, 199, 211. And by Muslim in: The chapter on starting with the right side in purification and other things, from the Book of Purification, Sahih Muslim 1/226. And by Abu Dawud in: The chapter on wearing shoes, from the Book of Dress, Sunan Abi Dawud 2/390. And by al-Tirmidhi in: The chapter on what is recommended regarding starting with the right side in purification, from the chapters on Friday and those following it from the chapters on prayer, Aridat al-Ahwadhi 3/86. And by al-Nasa'i in: The chapter on which foot to start with when washing; the chapter on starting with the right side in purification, from the Book of Purification; and the chapter on starting with the right side in grooming, from the Book of Adornment, Al-Mujtaba 1/67, 168, 8/161. And by Ibn Majah in: The chapter on starting with the right side in wudu, from the Book of Purification, Sunan Ibn Majah 1/141. And by Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 6/94, 130, 147, 187, 188, 202, 210. In some manuscripts, it reads "al-tayammun" instead of "al-tayammun". (14) In manuscript M: "aghsiluhu" (I wash it). The reading established in the original (al-asl), manuscript A, and Sunan Abi Dawud is what is written. (15) In: The chapter on washing the miswak, from the Book of Purification, Sunan Abi Dawud 1/13. (16) In: The chapter on covering the vessel, from the Book of Purification, and in: The chapter on covering the vessel, from the Book of Drinks, Sunan Ibn Majah 1/129, 2/1129.
