Beloved Master’s ﷺ use of Miswak

It has become known that miswak should be used not only for wudu (ablution). In books like Marqaah, it is mentioned that there are seventy benefits of miswak: one of which is that it ensures the recitation of the Kalima at the time of death, it protects from paralysis, removes bad breath, strengthens teeth and stomach, and gives light to the eyes. There is a narration from Sayyiduna Huzaifa, he says: كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم اذا قام للتهجد من الليل يشوص فاه بالسواك “Beloved Prophet ﷺ used to clean his mouth with miswak when he would get up at night for Tahajjud.” Some scholars have said that sometimes the reward of a Sunnah act exceeds that of a Fardh act. For example, Jam’ah (congregation) is Wajib for five daily prayers, and Fardh for Friday and Eid prayers, but its reward is twenty-seven times. And miswak is Sunnah, and its reward is seventy times. Similarly, greeting someone with Salam is Sunnah and replying to that Salam is Fardh, but the reward of greeting is greater than replying. And it may be that the twenty-seven levels of Jam’ah are such that each level is equal to the seventy levels of miswak. Sayyidatuna Aisha رضي الله عنها said: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: تفضل الصلوة التي يستاك لها على الصلوة التي لا يستاك لها سبعين ضعفا "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The prayer for which miswak is used is seventy times better than the prayer for which miswak is not used.'" It is Sunnah to keep miswak by one's head while sleeping. The famous commentator, great scholar, and Hakim-ul-Ummat, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رحمۃ اللہ علیہ says in the explanation of the aforementioned hadith: "That is, we used to place the Beloved Prophet's ﷺ miswak and wudu water by his head at the beginning of the night, which shows that it is Sunnah to keep both these things by one's head while sleeping." Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi رحمۃ اللہ علیہ says: "The Beloved Prophet ﷺ would use miswak upon entering his house, and this noble act of his was due to the extreme purity of his blessed nature and his good manners with his household." The famous commentator, great scholar, and Hakim-ul-Ummat, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رحمۃ اللہ علیہ says: "It is clear that miswak should also be used other than wudu. In books like Marqaah, it is mentioned that there are seventy benefits of miswak, one of which is that it ensures the recitation of the Kalima at the time of death.