عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «لَوْلا أنْ أَشُقِّ على أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهم بالسِّواكِ مع كلِّ وُضُوء».
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) makes clear that were it not for his fear to cause difficulty and hardship for his followers, he would command and obligate them to use the tooth-stick with every ablution. But, out of his mercy and compassion towards them, he did not do that. Instead of prescribing it as an obligation, he made it a recommended act of Sunnah, whose performance brings reward, yet there is no punishment for failure to do it.
Download for free and never miss a prayer again