Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan

Assalamu Alaikkum Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Barakkathuhu.

Please clarify the following

Using the MISWAQ , just before the commencement of a congregational peayer , and placing the MISWAQ  in ones pocket and eventually sometimes falling on the prayer mat.

The shaking of the forefinger during the sitting in the second and fourth Rakahs.

your borther in the path of Allah

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Miswak before prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: …Using the MISWAQ , just before the commencement of a congregational peayer

Al-Muwatta Hadith 2.117

Yahya related from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Humayd ibn Abdar-Rahman ibn Awf that Abu Hurayra said that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Were it not that it would be overburdening for the believers, I would have ordered them to use a ‘siwak’ (tooth-stick) with each ‘wudu’."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.12 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "If I had not found it hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with the ‘siwak’ for every prayer."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.237 Narrated by Hudhaifa

Whenever the Prophet (saws) got up for Tahajjud prayer, he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with a ‘siwak’.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 386 Narrated by Abu Umamah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Never did (Hadrat) Jibrael (a.s.) come to me without commanding me to use the ‘siwak’, with the result that I was afraid of chafing the front of my mouth.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 389 Narrated by Aisha

Allah's Messenger (sawws) said: ‘The preference for prayer in which a ‘siwak’ is used to prayer in which it is not used, is seventy times.

Although it is not deemed as obligatory, the use of a ‘siwak’ with every ‘wudu’ and before every prayer is an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Your Question: ….and placing the MISWAQ  in ones pocket and eventually sometimes falling on the prayer mat.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 390 Narrated by Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying: If it were not burdensome upon my Ummah I would have commanded them to use the ‘siwak’ at every prayer.’ Zayd ibn Khalid used to attend prayers in the masjid with his ‘siwak’ placed over his ear, the place where the scribe places his pen on the ear, and he did not pray without using the ‘siwak’. After using he put it back at its place.

There is absolutely no harm if one places the ‘siwak’ in their pockets during their prayer, or if perchance the ‘siwak’ happens to fall on the prayer mat during one’s movement in prayer.

Your Question: The shaking of the forefinger during the sitting in the second and fourth Rakahs.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.157

Ibn 'Umar reported that when the Prophet (saws) sat for the ‘tashahud’, he (saws) would place his left hand on his left knee and his right hand upon his right knee, and he would form a ring like (fifty-three) and point with his index finger. In another narration it is reported, "He would close his hand and point with his index finger." (Related by Muslim.)

Wa'il ibn Hajr reported that the Prophet (saws) would place his left palm on his left thigh and knee. He would place the end of his right elbow upon his right thigh and would then close his right hand, forming a circle. When reciting the ‘shahaadah’, he (saws) would make a circle with his middle finger and thumb and point with his index finger.

(Related by Ahmad.)

Reported az-Zubair, "When the Prophet (saws) sat for ‘tashahud’, he would place his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh. He would point with his index finger, and would not look beyond his pointing."

(Related by Ahmad, Muslim and anNasa'i.)

The raising of one’s index finger when reciting the ‘shahaadah’ in the ‘tashahud’ of prayer is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan