A’ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) used to be very diligent in taking care of her teeth: she never neglected to clean them with a siwak, as Bukhari and Muslim reported from a number of the Sahabah (RAA). A’ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) was asked what the Prophet (PBUH) used to do first when he came home. She said, “Use siwak .” This book is very dense, and I definitely felt like the information could have been presented better at times. For example, I wish the author's voice was a little less prominent (in other words, I would have liked this to feel more like a reference book), and a lot of information came off as repetitive. In his book, “ The Ideal Muslimah: The True Islamic Personality of the Muslim Woman as Defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah”, Dr. Al Hashimi notes that, after joining the Muslim community in the Battle of Uhud, her main objective was humanitarian work. Along with other women, she delivered water to the soldiers and attended to their wounds.

What a great contrast there is between the refined civilization of Islam and other, human civilizations! She takes care of her mouth and teeth In the course of defending the Prophet, Nusaybah suffered wounds, but she did not complain or lose heart. Asking the Prophet to make du`aa’ that she and her family would join him in Paradise, he did so. During the Battle of Uhud, what began as a humanitarian role for Nusaybah soon transformed. By the will of Almighty Allah, she is now a historic figure in a courageous role. The ummah is grateful to this day for the sacrifices that she made for the cause of Allah. ReferencesYou are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well, so that you will stand out among people like an adornment, for Allah (SWT) does not love ugliness.” 1

The Muslim woman does not neglect her appearance, no matter how busy she is with her domestic chores and the duties of motherhood. She is keen to look good, without going to extremes, because a good appearance is an indication of how well she understands herself, her Islamic identity, and her mission in life. The outward appearance of a woman cannot be separated from her inner nature: a neat, tidy and clean exterior reflects a noble and decent inner character, both of which go to make up the character of the true Muslim woman. The Muslim woman does not forget to maintain her physical fitness and energy by following the healthy practices recommended by Islam. But she is not content only with the natural, healthy diet referred to above: she also follows an organized exercise program, appropriate to her physical condition, weight, age and social status. These exercises give her body agility, beauty, good health, strength and immunity to disease; this will make her more able to carry out her duties, and more fit to fulfil her role in life, whether it be as a wife or mother, young girl or old woman. Her body and clothes are clean The author adds: “These words clearly indicate the level of civilization, culture, knowledge and manners among the Europeans. At the same time, in another part of Europe, the situation was not much different.Seeing the Prophet left to fend for himself, Nusaybah armed herself, joining the circular formation that was protecting him. Dr. Al Hashimi relates that Nusaybah fought bravely and selflessly in the Prophet’s defense. It is very strange to see that some Muslim women neglect these matters, which are a ong the most important elements of a woman’s character, besides being at the very heart of Islam.