DENTAL HYGIENE AND THE MISWAK
The miswak (or siwaak) is a twig from a tree which is used to clean the teeth. It is a well-known sunnah of the Holy Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, who said, “But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak on every performance of ablution (wudhu).” [Bukhari]
Sayyidina Hudhaifa reports, “Whenever the Prophet got up for Tahajjud prayer, he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with Siwak.” [Bukhari]
The Holy Prophet emphasised the use of the Siwak and advised his Companions to implement its use.
Sayyidina Anas reported that the Beloved Messenger said, “I have told you repeatedly to (use) the Siwak.” [Bukhari]
The use of miswak has numerous benefits including strengthening gums, preventing tooth decay and toothache. The miswak is also said to create a pleasant fragrance in the mouth, and helps to eliminate bad breath, improve sense of taste and cause the teeth to glow.
Sayyida Aisha reports that the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “It (i.e. miswak) is a purification for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah’s pleasures.” [Bukhari]
The miswak is also reported to sharpen the memory, cure headaches, cause light to emanate from the face of the one who continually uses it (due to it being a blessed Sunnah), strengthening eyesight, assisting in digestion and clearing the vocal chords.
GROOMING OF HIS BLESSED HAIR AND BEARD
• Grooming of the Beard
The Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Trim closely the moustache, and let the beard flow (grow out).” [Muslim]
Regarding his own blessed attributes, his beloved grandson Sayyidina Imam Hasan said, “He had a thick, dense beard.” [Tirmidhi]
• Grooming of the Hair
The Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, advised thus: “He who has hair should honor it.” [Abu Dawud]
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik reported that the Beloved Messenger often rubbed oil on his blessed head and also often combed his beard. He would place a cloth over his head, which would become like an oil-cloth due to the frequent use of oil. [Shama’il Tirmidhi]
It is stated in Mawaahib al Laduniya that, when the hair of the Beloved Prophet was not cut for a long period it would be long, and when it used to be cut, it would be short. This implies that the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, would sometimes allow his hair to grow and other times he would cut it short.
When a person combs their hair, they should first make the path of the right side, then the left as the Beloved Prophet preferred this manner. [Shama’il Tirmidhi]
The Beloved Prophet also advised the use of Henna and often implemented this practice himself. Sayyidina Ubaid ibn Juraij, reports, “About the dyeing of hair with Henna; no doubt, I saw Allah’s Messenger dyeing his hair with it and that is why I like to dye (my hair with it).” [Muslim]
HIS BLESSED CLOTHING & STYLE
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, exhibited beautiful manners for dressing and attire. He taught that a person should dress well in a clean, pleasant manner but to avoid extravagance which could lead to pride. Dressing in an untidy or rough manner was disliked by him, as a person’s manner of clothing exhibits Allah’s blessings upon him.
Narrated Sayyidina Abul Ahwas Awf ibn Malik: “I came to the Prophet wearing a poor garment, and he said to me, ‘Have you any property?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ The Prophet asked, ‘What kind is it?’ I said, ‘Allah has given me camels, sheep, horses and slaves.’ The Prophet then said, ‘When Allah gives you property, let the mark of Allah’s favor and honor upon you be seen.’” [Abu Dawud]
Sayyidina Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri reports that when the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, put on a new garment, he mentioned it by name i.e. turban or shirt, and would then say, “O Allah, praise be to You! As You have clothed me with it, I ask You for its good and the good of that for which it was made, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of that for which it was made.” [Abu Dawud]
• His Turban
The Holy Prophet sometimes wore a turban, leaving the ends loose and allowing them to fall upon his back.
Sayyidina Huraith narrates that he saw the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, standing on the pulpit while he had on a black turban. Both the loose ends of the turban were hanging between his shoulder blades. [Muslim]
• Red Clothing
Regarding red clothing, it is permissible and a Sunnah to wear red as long as it is combined with another colour, but it is not permissible to wear plain red garments.
Sayyidina Hilaal ibn Aamir reports from his father, “I saw the Messenger of Allah in Mina giving a khutba sitting on his mule, wearing a red cloak…” [Abu Dawud]
Sayyidina Bara ibn Azib states: “The Messenger of Allah was of average build. I saw him in a red hullah, and I never saw anyone more handsome than him.”[Bukhari]
A red hullah is an outfit of two Yemeni garments woven with red and black stripes, or red and green stripes, and is described as red because of the red stripes in it. This is the view of a number of scholars, such as Imam ibn Hajar al-Asqalani [Fath al-Baari Sharh ala Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5400] and Imam ibn al-Qayyim [Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1-137].
• Prophetic Dress Sense
The Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, used to like the colour white and his preferred garment was long shirts. He said, “Eat and drink, dress and give sadaqa without extravagance and without arrogance.” [Bukhari]
It is reported by Sayyida Umm Salma stated that the clothing which the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, liked best was the kurta (long shirt). [Abu Dawud]
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Abbas reports that the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Wear your white garments, for they are among your best garments.” [Abu Dawud]
Sayyidina ibn Umar stated he liked to dye clothes with yellow dye, reporting, “I have seen the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, dyeing clothes yellow so I like to do so as well.” [Bukhari]
Sayyidina Abu Rimthah reports, “I went with my father to the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and saw two green garments over him.” [Abu Dawud]
Sayyida Aisha reported, “Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, went out one morning wearing a cloak made of black [camel or sheep] hair with patterns of camel saddles upon it.” [Muslim]
HIS RING AND PROPHETIC STAMP
The Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, had a silver ring which he would use to stamp and seal letters written to emperors and rulers. It had the words ‘Muhammadur RasulAllah’ engraved in it.
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik reported that when Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, decided to write (letters) to non-Arabs (i.e. Persian and Byzantine Emperors), it was said to him that the non-Arabs would not accept a letter but that which had a seal on it; so he (the Beloved Prophet) got a silver ring made. He (Sayyidina Anas) said, “I perceive it as if I am looking at its brightness in his hand.” [Muslim]
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik reported that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, had a silver ring made and got engraved on it ‘Muhammad, Messenger of Allah’. And then he said to the people, “I have got made a ring of silver and engraved in it (these words): ‘Muhammad, Messenger of Allah’. So none should engrave (words) like this engraving.” [Muslim]
It is also said that the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, wore a silver ring with a stone in it.
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik reported that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, wore a silver ring on his right hand which had an Abyssinian stone in it, and he kept its stone towards the palm. [Muslim]
Regarding this, Imam Nawawi reports that the scholars say: “An Abyssinian stone means a stone of onyx [in which there is whiteness and blackness], or carnelian (aqeeq) because their mines are in Abyssinia and Yemen, or it is said [it means] that its color was Abyssinian (i.e. black).” [Imam Nawawi’s Commentary of Sahih Muslim, 7:58-59]
USING KOHL OR ANTIMONY ON THE EYES
Antimony, also known as kohl or surma, is a type of ointment or powder used for the eye and is a Sunnah of the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
Sayyidina Jabir reports that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “You should use kohl for it improves the eyesight and makes the eyelashes grow.” [Ibn Majah]
Sayyidina Anas narrated that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, used to apply kohl to his right eye three times, and to his left eye twice. [Abu Dawud]
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, would use a type of kohl called Ithmid which is a very pure form of antimony, and much more beneficial to the eyes than other types.
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The best of your kohl is Ithmid, for it improves the eyesight and makes the eyelashes grow.” [Ibn Majah]
According to Imam ibn al-Qayyim, “Ithmid is the best type of kohl used for the eye, especially for elderly people whose eyesight has weakened.” And, “Ithmid is the black kohl stone… the kohl tends to be cold and dry and it is beneficial to the eye in that it strengthens it and also strengthens the eye nerve. [Shaykh ibn al-Qayyim’s Medicine of the Prophet: English translation, page 251]
USE OF FRAGRANCE AND ‘ITR
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, liked to apply fragrance and it is reported that he said, “Of the things of this world, women and perfume have been made beloved to me – and the delight of my eyes is prayer.” [Sunan al-Nasai]
Truthfully, his blessed perspiration itself was beautifully aromatic, as Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik declared, “I have never smelled amber, musk or any other (perfume) more fragrant than the aroma of the Messenger of Allah.” [Muslim] And the mother of Sayyidina Anas, Sayyida Umm Sulaym would collect the blessed perspiration to use as a fragrance and for blessing. [Muslim]
Regarding the the Beloved Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, he would apply fragrance to his hair and beard. Sayyida Aisha, the mother of believers reported, “I used to perfume Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, with the best scent available till I saw the shine of the scent on his head and beard.” [Bukhari]
Sayyidina Anas reported that the Beloved Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, never refused a gift of perfume. [Bukhari]
It is also reported that the Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, had a sukkah (a container) from which he would apply scent. [Abu Dawud]
THE PROPHET’S FOOTWEAR
The Prophet’s footwear, especially his blessed sandals, reserve a special place in the hearts of Muslims and is also known as Naalayn Paak or Naalayn Sharif.
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik reports that the sandal of the Prophet had two straps. [Bukhari]
Regarding the appearance of the Beloved Prophet’s footwear, from the pairs which have been preserved today (especially in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Turkey), we can establish that they had a very distinctive shape. It is also reported that the Beloved Prophet wore leather sandals/shoes.
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Umar said, “…Regarding the tanned leather shoes, no doubt I saw Allah’s Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, wearing non-hairy shoes.” [Bukhari]