Tahzeeb-ul-islam (islamic Ettiquettes)

Etiquette of Cleaning Teeth, Combing, Cutting Nails & Shaving Head

1. Advantages of miswak (i.e. Cleaning teeth with any raw branch of tree):

According to many reliable traditions from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), miswak is the sunnat of all Prophets. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to say that Hazrat Jibrael asked him to do miswak so often, that he started fearing that his teeth would be rubbed off.

According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), there are twelve advantages of miswak:

a) It is the sunnat of Prophets

b) Cleans the mouth

c) Increases brightness of the eyes

d) Causes God's goodwill

e) Takes out sputum

f) Increases memory

g) Teeth are whitened

h) The reward of good deeds increases manifold

i) Stops weakness and falling of teeth

j) Strengthens roots of the teeth

k) Increases appetite in a healthy manner

l) Angels are happy with all those who do miswak

According to a tradition from Hazrat Ali (a.s.), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had advised people to do miswak at the time of every prayer.

According to Hazrat Moosa Kazim (a.s.) and Imam Ali Reza (a.s.), among the sunnats of the Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), there are five things about the upper half of the body and five about the lower part of the body. Among those that are concerned with head are:

a) To do miswak

b) Trimming the moustache

c) Parting hair to have place for masah

d) To gargle

e) To put water in the nose

The five things that are sunnat about the lower part of the body are:

a) To get circumcised

b) To remove unwanted hair on the lower abdomen

c) To remove hair under armpits

d) To cut nails

e) To clean with water after urination

According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) when one gets up for Namaz-e-Shab (night prayer) one should do miswak as an angel descends from heaven and keeps his mouth on one's mouth and whatever one is reciting; Quran, prayers or durood, he takes it to heaven. Therefore it is necessary that one's mouth should be smelling good. (If there is not enough time, it is better to clean one's teeth with fingers only.)

According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), there are three things which sharpen memory and cure all pains - chewing kundoor, doing miswak and reciting the Quran-e-Majeed.

Another tradition quotes the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as saying that two rakat prayers with miswak is better than seventy rakat prayers without it.

According to Mohammed Baqir (a.s.), doing miswak in the bathroom causes one's teeth to fall and also one should never stop doing miswak even if it is done once in three days.

2. Etiquette and advantages of shaving one's head:

Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) said that one should shave off the hair from one's head from the roots that the head may be clean and free of lice. Besides, it strengthens one's neck and gives more light to the eyes and the body relaxes and also said that he shaved his head every Friday.

According to a tradition from Hazrat Moosa Kazim (a.s.), when the hair on the head get long, the eyes get weak and eyesight gets dim and when the hair are cut, the brightness of the eyes is increased. (This applies to men).

It is haram (not permissible) for women to cut their hair without any reason.

Another reliable tradition states that a person who will not part his hair when he has kept them long, his head will be opened on the day of judgement by God with a cutter of fire.

A tradition states that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has prohibited a woman who has physically matured to gather her hair in front or at the sides and knot them and hang them in front like men.

Two other traditions state that there is no harm in making an addition (something to tie a plait) from the hair of one's own hair or that of an animal but the hair of other women should not be mixed with one's own. One should be careful to take off the addition of animal's hair from one's hair before starting one's prayers, as namaz is not allowed with it. But if it is of the hair of permissible animals, then its usage even during prayers is not prohibited.

3. Advantages of cutting of the tips (end) of moustache:

Cutting of the ends of the moustache is Sunnat-e-Muvakkedah. It is better to cut them sharply and according to the tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). When one lets the moustache grow, one is succumbing to shaitan.

According to a tradition from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), cutting of the tips of moustache decreases sadness and superstitions and one who is doing thus is also performing the sunnat of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

Hazrat Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) used to cut his moustache till the root of the hair and also stated that cutting of nails on Friday prevents one from the disease of dandruff from that Friday to next Friday.

According to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) the moustache should be above the upper lip.

Another tradition states that a person came to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) and asked for a prayer which will increase his income or daily bread. He was asked by the Imam (a.s.) to cut his moustache and nails on a Friday.

Another tradition from the same Imam (a.s.) states that if a person cuts his moustache and nails on Friday during which he recites the following:

‘In the name of Allah, I trust Allah and sunnah of Mohammed and Ale Mohammed.’

then God will give him the reward of freeing as many slaves from the children of Ismail as many segments there are of the nails and hair; and except the illness of death, he will not suffer from any other illness.

4. Etiquette of growing one's beard:

It should be remembered that keeping a beard of normal length is sunnat. It should be neither too long nor very short. But it is makrooh (abominable) to have one's beard longer than musht (i.e. the length of a closed fist). It is even considered haram (non-permissible).

It is popularly accepted among the scholars that except hair on the cheeks and below the lower lip, to shave the beard on both sides is haram (non-permissible); and it should be cut in a manner that it does not resemble a shave.

Another tradition states that one should keep one's hand on the beard and the part of beard escaping the hand should be cut off.

A tradition from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) states that when God forgave Adam's repentance, then Adam performed thanksgiving and while getting up, looked towards the sky and prayed to God to increase his beauty. Hardly a little time had elapsed when a dark and thick beard came out of his face. He had no beard before it and when he enquired to God about it, God revealed that it was an asset for him and his offsprings on the Day of Judgement.

5. The grace of white hair and prohibition of pulling them out:

A tradition from Hazrat Ali (a.s.) prohibits the pulling of white hair as it is the light of Islam and those Muslims who will have white hair in the beard, will be a source of light on the Day of Judgement.

According to a tradition from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), God will not talk with three types of men and neither bless them on the Day of Judgement; but rather curse them. They are:

a) A person who pulls out white hair

b) A person who does masturbation and causes seminal emission by irritating other parts of his body

c) A person who is used to sodomy

The first part of the tradition means that a man pulls out the white hair with bad intention, because it is a blessing to have white hair.

According to Imam Ali Reza (a.s.), a tradition from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) states that a white hair on the forehead is a source of blessing, those on the cheeks are a sign of generosity and courage and among the hair of the head is a sign of bravery and courage. It is a bad omen to have the first white hair growing on the back of the neck.

6. The order of cutting the hair of nose and the prohibition of playing with one's beard:

A reliable tradition states that every person should cut the ends of the moustache and the hair of the nose.

According to Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.), there are four things which are a temptation from shaitan, eating mud, to crumble mud or sand while sitting idle, cutting nails with teeth and chewing beard.

Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) states that one should not take one's hand to the beard to stroke it too often, as it is a bad habit and disfigures the beard.

7. Advantages and blessings of cutting nails:

According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), cutting off one's nails keeps away many diseases and increases one's daily bread.

Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.) explained that men have been ordered to cut the nails for keeping nails gives a chance to shaitan to spread dirt. Besides, it causes loss of memory.

Another tradition states that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had ordered men to cut the nail very near to the flesh and women were ordered to leave a little as it is a source of beautification for women.

8. Manner and timings of cutting one's nails:

A tradition states that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) prohibited biting of one's nails with one's teeth.

According to a reliable tradition from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), cutting the nails on Friday keeps one safe from the disease of dandruff, leprosy and blindness. Even if there is no need to cut one's nails, one should cut them a little that a few of their particles may fall off.

Another tradition states that cutting of nails and the ends of the moustache on every Friday, and also washing hair with khatimi leaves increases one's income.

Another tradition states that people told the Imam (a.s.) that they have heard that dua and namaz (taqeebat) after the morning prayers until the sun rises, is better than hunting for one's daily wages from one city to another. The Imam (a.s.) asked whether he could show something which was more satisfactory from the point of view of daily income. When the people replied in the affirmative, the Imam (a.s.) said that one should cut one's nails and sideburns every Friday and even if the nails are not big enough to be cut, one should rub them a little on every Friday.

Another tradition states that Imam Reza (a.s.) saw a person suffering acutely from an eye disease. The Imam (a.s.) asked him if he would like to know something which will alleviate the pain in the eyes. When the person replied in affirmative, the Imam (a.s.) asked him to cut his nails on a Wednesday. When the person did what he was ordered, he never complained of eye ache again.

According to a tradition, a person who cuts his nails on a Thursday should start from his left hand and end on the little finger of his right hand.

Another tradition states that when a person cuts all his nails except one on a Thursday and takes that one off on a Friday, then God will dissolve all his worries.

According to a reliable tradition from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), a person who cuts his nails on a Friday, God takes away all pains from his

body pores and fills them with health and a person who cuts his nails on a Thursday or Saturday is always safe from the diseases of eyes and teeth.

Another tradition states that people said to Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) that there is a saying in their particular group that one should take off nails only on a Friday. The Imam (a.s.) replied that it was perfectly alright to take off nails on a Friday but as previous traditions state that if the nails are long, one should not wait for a Friday to cut one's nails.

It is stated from Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.) that if one cuts one's nails on a Friday then one's children will never have an eye complaint and if he wants to be benefited by both Thursday and Friday, he should cut all his nails on Thursday and keep one for Friday or cut all on Thursday and file them on a Friday so that a few of the particles may fall off. One should recite the following while cutting nails.

‘In the name of Allah, I trust Allah and Sunnah of Mohammed and Ale Mohammed.’

9. Advantages and blessings of combing one's head/beard:

A reliable tradition from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) says that wearing good clothes belittle the enemy; oiling one's body relaxes mental tension and worries and combing one's hair strengthens the teeth, improves earning and increases virility.

It is stated from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) that combing one's hair wards off twenty types of diseases and many types of pains.

10. Timings and manner of combing and types of combs:

According to a reliable tradition, Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) used to keep a comb in the prayer cloth and comb his hair after the prayers.

According to Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.), the meaning of beauty of verse 7: 31;

‘Be ye adorned at every time of prostration.’

implies combing one's hair before prayers.

In another tradition, Imam (a.s.) has stated that when you have combed your head and beard, comb the hair on the chest as this keeps away sorrow and illness.

Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) prohibits combing in the bathroom as it weakens the hair.

It is stated from Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) that a person who combs the hair of his head, beard and chest seven times, no pain will come to him.

It is stated from Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) that one should not comb while standing but one should sit while combing, for the former weakens the heart and the latter strengthens the heart and thickens the epidermis of the body.

According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), a person who combs while standing will be involved in loans.

Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) has said that a comb made of ivory cures fever.

A tradition from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) states that the use of a comb made of silver or etched with silver is makrooh.