Using the Miswak with the Hand and Starting from the Right Side

The questioner:
And peace be upon him. He said about it that it is a time for praise and a time for the Lord, and in another hadith, it is said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not like to speak while holding it.

The Shaykh:
Walking. Removing harm with the left hand. Using the miswak is for removing harm from the teeth and the mouth, so it is done with the left hand. As for starting, it is from the right side of the mouth. The one using the miswak starts with the right side of his mouth, then the left. He starts with the right. As for holding the miswak, it is with the left hand because it is for removing harm, so it falls under the rule that whoever’s role is to remove harm does so with the left hand.

The questioner:
Shaping the mouth. And it is not just for cleanliness, but for a pleasant smell.

The Shaykh:
Likewise, it is for removing the bad smell, which is a form of removing harm. It is also called purification, and purification starts with the right side in the mouth.