Pure Islam, they say? Quick, pass me my Miswak stick!

6. I reach for my miswak

When someone tells me

About ‘unadulterated Islam’,

I reach for my miswak.

(Glossary - The miswak (miswaak, siwak, sewak, misvak) is a teeth cleaning twig made from a twig of the Salvadora Persica tree - courtesy of Wikipedia. It is a famous sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad)

This is a Miswak stick. In fact it is my Miswak stick.
Someone gave it to me.

As an idea, 'unadulterated Islam' is a fine thing. After all, adulterated food is bad for you, so I guess adulterated Islam may also be a bad thing, something certainly to be avoided. But the problem arises when I ask myself what does 'unadulterated Islam' actually mean. I suspect that much like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder.

In my cynical mind, 'unadulterated Islam' is a term often used to divide, alienate and ostracize. It is a phrase which actually means "I am right and you are wrong." But people don't like being direct, because that makes their position less moral, and it is common for people who often use such term to be particularly concerned that they appear moral.

The non-Muslims should pay attention because the sort of people who like to brand other Muslims as err... adulterated Muslims are those most likely to explode themselves in a market place, applaud the death of innocent people and tolerate violence, bigotry and hate disguised in the veneer of the faith. Muslims should pay attention because such people hate us. They think that Muslims who are tolerant and kind are dimwits in la-di-da land, and they especially despise those damn Sufis!

So when I have to listen to some guy spouting 'unadulterated Islam' sermon, I do reach for my miswak if I have one in hand. Because to tell him to shut up would be rude, so at least my time is not totally wasted and I can perform my personal oral hygiene. Which is always a good habit, yes?

Have a good teeth day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

PS: Do try the Miswak stick. It is good and natural. Why, even the giant pharmaceutical companies are using (I assume!) some of its active ingredients in their toothpaste product. Or maybe they are simply fooling people and riding on the natural-herbal bandwagon to soak up more sales? I don't know really. If you wanna find out the truth, I am sure you can...