English Translation

Abd al-Samad told us, saying: Harb — that is, Ibn Shaddad — told us, from Yahya: Abu Salamah told us — and my father told us: Muhammad ibn Fudayl told us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, from Abu Salamah, from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Were it not that it would be difficult for my nation, I would have commanded them to use the tooth-stick before every prayer." He said: So Zayd ibn Khalid used to place the tooth-stick, from himself, in the position a pen is placed behind a scribe's ear — whenever he stood for prayer, he would use the tooth-stick.