The Preferred Hand to Use for Siwaak

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked: With regard to use of Siwaak, is the left hand better than the right hand or vice versa? Is it permissible to rebuke the one using the left hand for Siwaak? Which of them is better?

He responded: All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds. What is preferable is to use the left hand when using Siwaak.  This is the view of Imaam Ahmad as contained in the narration of Ibn Mansoor al-Kawsaj. He reported it from him in his Masaa’il; and we do not know of anyone among the Imaams who opposed him in that. This is because, the use of Siwaak is a form of removal of dirt. It is like blowing water out of the nose during ablution, removing nasal mucus and the like, which involves removal of dirt that should be done with the left hand. Just as removal of impurities like istijmaar (cleaning oneself with stones after urination and defecation) and the like should be done with the left hand, the dirt that is obligatory and recommended to be removed should be done with the left hand.

Actions are of two types: one of them is that which is common to both limbs while the second is that which is specific to one of them. The principles of the Sharee’ah have established that the right hand should be given preference in actions that are common to the right and left hands if it has to do with honour and nobility like ablution, ritual bath, starting with the right side when using Siwaak, plucking the armpit hair, wearing cloth, putting on shoe, combing the hair, entering the masjid and the house, coming out of the toilet and so on. The left hand should be given preference in the opposite of that like entering the toilet, removing one’s shoe and coming out of the masjid.

As regards that which is specific to one of them, if it has to do with honour and nobility, it should be done with the right hand like eating, drinking, shaking hands, giving and taking of books and so on. But if it is the opposite of that, it should be done with the left hand like istijmaar, blowing water out of the nose during ablution and removing nasal mucus and so on.

Source: Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (21/108) of Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) in Zubdah al-Afhaam bi Fawaa’id ‘Umdah al-Ahkaam, vol. 1, p. 104-105 by Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee