Azami 1359

Imam Ahmad narrated it (5865) from Qutayba bin Saeed, who said, Ibn Lahia narrated to us, from Ubaydullah bin Abu Jafar, from Nafi, from Ibn Umar, who said, and then he related it. Its chain is hasan because of Ibn Lahia, for there has been criticism of him, except that Qutayba bin Saeed's narration from him is hasan, and this is one of his narrations. A similar report has been narrated from Ibn Abbas and Anas, but their chains contain weak narrators. See Majma al-Zawaid 1/20.It was also narrated from Abu Umama in Ibn Majah (289), but its chain contains Ali bin Yazid Alhani, whom Ibn Main and others declared daif.As for his saying, "a purifier for the mouth, pleasing to the Lord," mutahhara can be read with the mim vocalized as either fatha or kasra, both being valid forms mentioned by Ibn Sikkit and others, though the kasra form is more well known. It refers to any vessel used for purification, and the tooth-stick is likened to it because it cleans the mouth, tahara meaning cleanliness. Nawawi mentioned this in Sharh Muhazzab (1/268).