The Permissibility of Suppressing a Yawn or Using the Miswak with Either Hand
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His Eminence the Shaykh: Is it better to suppress a yawn or use the miswak with the right hand or the left hand?
The matter is broad in this regard. If he wishes, he places his right hand when suppressing a yawn, and if he wishes, he places his left hand. However, the left hand is more appropriate. As for using the miswak, the scholars differed on this.Some scholars said: With the right hand; because using the miswak is a recommended practice (sunnah), so it is its right that it be disliked [to do so with the left].And some of them said: With the left hand; because using the miswak is the removal of a nuisance, and the left hand is more entitled to the removal of a nuisance than the right hand. For this reason, blowing out the nose is done with the left hand, cleaning oneself after relieving oneself is done with the left hand, and using pebbles for cleaning is done with the left hand. Using the miswak is done with the left hand because it is the removal of a nuisance.And some scholars specified and said: If the use of the miswak is for the purpose of the recommended practice (sunnah), it is done with the right hand. If the use of the miswak is for purification, it is done with the left hand. There is no doubt that using the miswak is purification, and there is no doubt that using the miswak is an act of worship, as came in the authentic hadith: (The miswak is a purifier for the mouth and a source of pleasure for the Lord).
And based on that, I say: The matter is broad in this regard. If he wishes, he uses the miswak with the right hand, and if he wishes, he uses the miswak with the left hand. Similarly, wearing a ring—if he wishes, he wears it on the right hand, and if he wishes, on the left hand. Similarly, wearing a watch—if he wishes, he wears it on the right hand, and if he wishes, on the left hand.
The matter is broad in this regard. If he wishes, he places his right hand when suppressing a yawn, and if he wishes, he places his left hand. However, the left hand is more appropriate. As for using the miswak, the scholars differed on this.Some scholars said: With the right hand; because using the miswak is a recommended practice (sunnah), so it is its right that it be disliked [to do so with the left].And some of them said: With the left hand; because using the miswak is the removal of a nuisance, and the left hand is more entitled to the removal of a nuisance than the right hand. For this reason, blowing out the nose is done with the left hand, cleaning oneself after relieving oneself is done with the left hand, and using pebbles for cleaning is done with the left hand. Using the miswak is done with the left hand because it is the removal of a nuisance.And some scholars specified and said: If the use of the miswak is for the purpose of the recommended practice (sunnah), it is done with the right hand. If the use of the miswak is for purification, it is done with the left hand. There is no doubt that using the miswak is purification, and there is no doubt that using the miswak is an act of worship, as came in the authentic hadith: (The miswak is a purifier for the mouth and a source of pleasure for the Lord).
And based on that, I say: The matter is broad in this regard. If he wishes, he uses the miswak with the right hand, and if he wishes, he uses the miswak with the left hand. Similarly, wearing a ring—if he wishes, he wears it on the right hand, and if he wishes, on the left hand. Similarly, wearing a watch—if he wishes, he wears it on the right hand, and if he wishes, on the left hand.