Cleanliness and hygiene in the light of Islam

Dr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat & Intizar Ahmad
The fact that man is God’s most noble creation is symbolized in the Quran by the prostration of angels before Adam upon the divine command. There are numerous verses in the Quran and also sayings of the Prophet, which praise the perfect mould and proportions in which man has been created as well as the beauty of the human form. Man is a creature of many levels and facts. He is body, soul, and spirit. But Islam, faithful to its fundamental doctrine of Unity, views man as a unified whole in which all the parts are interdependent. The idea of man as the microcosm constitutes one of the most fundamental principles of the sciences cultivated by Islam, particularly the biomedical sciences. These Islamic views of man have important consequences upon the spirit in which Muslims seek to study and treat the human body. At the level of the law, Islam conceives of the human body mainly in terms of its rights and duties. Islam attaches great importance to the overall health, welfare, and well-being of the body, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the spiritual soul which constitutes the real essence of man. A body that is normal and healthy may serve as a perfect instrument for either virtues or vices. Islam insists that all activities of the body must be for the sake of the health and felicity of the soul. In Islam, the idea of having a perfectly healthy body is so that it may act as a perfect instrument of the soul to realize the very purpose for which it has been created. Al-Ghazzali, describes the body as the vehicle or riding-animal of the soul and the latter as a traveller who visits a foreign country, which is this world, for the sake of merchandise and will soon return to his native land. The vehicle should be taken care of and well looked after but not to the point of forgetting or neglecting the final destination of his journey. Islam enjoins the complete fulfillment of all the legitimate needs of the body as defined and determined by the Divine Law of Islam. It takes into account both the strengths and weaknesses inherent in human nature. The teachings of the Shari‘ah on personal hygiene and cleanliness became incorporated into the general body of Islamic medicine. In its theory and practice, Islamic medicine views these religious injunctions on matters of hygiene and cleanliness as the best means of preventing illnesses. It also sees medical merits in the rituals and religious practices of Islam. Ritual cleanliness requires Muslims to wash themselves regularly. Muslims throughout the world have extremely high standards of personal hygiene, because Islam places great emphasis on both physical and spiritual, cleanliness and purification. While humankind in general usually considers cleanliness to be a pleasing attribute, Islam insists on it. Muslims are required to take care of their personal hygiene by assuring that they are well groomed, and that their bodies, clothing, and surroundings are clean. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, informed his companions and thus all of us, about the importance of cleanliness when he said, “cleanliness is half of faith (Emaan).” The Quran is more specific and says, “Truly, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222) Cleanliness and purification is one of the great privileges of Islam. It has evolved a wonderful system that encompasses Muslim life on individual and social levels. Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both physical and spiritual terms. The attention to hygiene is the aspect which is an unknown concern in any other religion or philosophy before Islam. While people generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam insists on it, making it an indispensable fundamental of faith. Cleanliness is an essential part of Islamic life and in fact the meaning and spirit behind the concept of cleanliness is much beyond the superficial concept of the conventional cleanliness. In the Holy Quran, there are a number of verses which shed light at the importance of cleanliness: “Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (Al Baqarah 2:222) At another place Allah says: “In it (mosque) are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure.” (9:108) Cleanliness and purity has been emphasized by various means in hundreds of Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In a Hadith he said: Cleanliness is half of faith. (Sahih Muslim Book 2, Number 0432) Islam has given so much importance to cleanliness as it is considered to be a part of faith. Cleanliness and purification are one of the great exemptions of Islam. Islam places great stress on cleanliness, whether it’s in physical or spiritual terms. The attention to hygiene is the condition which was unfamiliar with any other religion before Islam. While people generally consider cleanliness or purification a desirable aspect, but Islam insists on it, making hygiene an essential part of faith. Cleanliness is an essential part of Islamic life. We can say the meaning and spirit behind the concept of cleanliness is above the slight concept of the traditional cleanliness. In Holy Quran Allah Almighty says: “Allah does not intend to inconvenience you, but He intends to purify you and perfect His favor to you, so that you may give thanks”. (Quran, 5:6) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The key to the prayer is cleanliness, its beginning is takbir (saying Allahu Akbar) and its ending is Salam (salutation).” (Abu Dawud). Islam has always encouraged the believer to be in a state of cleanliness both physically and spiritually. As mentioned above, one of the most important aspects of prayers is that a person should be clean before performing them five times a day.
Allah says, “For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.”(Quran 2:222)
Islam is a religion which orders its followers for both physical and spiritual cleanliness. The cleanliness of the heart and the cleanliness of the body should come together in a Muslim. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) instructed Muslims to remain clean in all sorts of ways. He mentioned cleanliness and purity as the half of belief (Iman). Abu Malik (Ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Purity or cleanness is the half of belief.” (Sahih Musllim). We get in Hadith that one who keeps himself clean from impurity, he will enter paradise. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Islam is clean. Therefore, you should keep yourselves clean, too. Only the clean people can enter Paradise.” Truly, Allah (SWT) loves those who themselves clean. Allah says, “For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.”(Quran 2:222). Islam ordered its followers to keep the environment clean, keep the nails clipped, remove hair from the armpit and even to maintain dental neatness through the use of Miswak. As Muslims we are required to perform prayers (Salat) five times a day. Purification from Hadath (impurity) is one of the conditions of Salat. Allah (SWT) says, “O you who believe! When you stand up (prepare) for prayer, wash your face and hands up to the elbows, and wipe a part of your head and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of Janabah (after sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)…” (Sura Mayeda: Ayat 06). A Muslim can achieve physical purity through ritual bath (Ghusl) and ablution (Wudhu) or ritual ablution with clean soil (Tayammum). When a Muslim is Junub (impure due to sexual intercourse or semen discharge) or the menstrual or postnatal bleeding of a woman has stopped, he/she has to achieve purity through Ghusl (ritual bath). There are three obligatory elements of Gusl. These are: (a) To rinse the mouth (If are not fasting, then gargling). (b) To clean the nostrils out with water, sucking up water into both nostrils. (c) To pour water over the whole body in such a way that a hairs-breadth place is not left dry. There are some Sunnats in Ghusl: (i) To say Bismillah, (ii) to wash both hands up to the wrists, (iii) to wash the private parts and parts over which impurity is found, (iv) to make Niyyah (intention) of removing the impurity, and (v) to perform ablution (Wudhu) first and to pour water on the whole body thrice. In the Qur’an Allah commends those who are accustomed to cleanliness:”Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” [2: 22] The importance of cleanliness can be estimated from the fact that the books of Hadith as well as the Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) start with a chapter on cleanliness. There are two terms used in Islamic literature: taharah and nazafah. Taharah (Cleanliness from physical impurities) is required by Islam to be observed by each and every Muslim in his and her daily life while nazafah (neatness) is a desirable attribute. In Islam the Arabic term for purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic jurisprudence often contain an entire chapter with Taharah as a heading. In holy Quran Allah orders the believer to be tidy in appearance:”Keep your clothes clean.” [74:4] The Qur’an insists that the believer maintain a constant state of purity:”Believers! When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are ritually impure bathe your whole body.” [5: 6] Islam regarding ritual impurity refers to that resulting from sexual release, menstruation and the first forty days after childbirth. Muslims also use water, not paper or anything else to after eliminating body wastes. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in private and in public. Once when returning home from battle he advised his army:”You are soon going to meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles and clothes. Be distinguished in the eyes of the people.” [Abu Dawud] On another occasion he said:”Don’t ever come with your hair and beard disheveled like a devil.” [Al-Tirmidhi] And on another occasion he also said: “Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer.” [Bukhari] Islam does not ignore the moral hygiene. Prophet (pbuh), encouraged Muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves in the mirror: “Allah, You have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me with an immaculate character and forbid my face from touching the Hellfire.” [Ahmad]. Islam encouraging maintaining purity of thought and modesty in dress, for men as well as for women. Islam encourages to be charitable as being charitable is a way of purifying one’s wealth. In Islam, the beauty of the human form is veiled in order to govern human passions so as to create a healthy religious and spiritual climate in which man or women is constantly reminded of his or her duties to God. In Islam the beauty of the human form becomes interiorized and spiritualized and not exteriorized and prophesized. A Muslim who does not give charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5% alms-tax, has in effect contaminated his wealth by hoarding that which rightfully belongs to others:”Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify them.” [9: 103] All the laws and injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are pure; on the other hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of human bias and other imperfections. Thus any formal law can only be truly just when it is purified by divine guidance – as elucidated by the Qur’an and the Sunnah – or if it is divinely ordained to begin with – the Shari’ah. There are many instructions in connec¬tion with health, hygiene and nutrition and about the cleanliness of air and environment in Islam. The important ones are: Wash your mouth and hands before and after a meal, Keep food and water covered, Offer Salah with clean body and clothes, Use fragrance or perfume, Comb your hair and use oil on the hair, Take bath and perform ablution for offering prayers, Go to bed early and rise early in the morning, Go for a walk in the morning, Keep your house and streets clean or we can say keep your environment clean, Keep your clothes and body clean and Do Miswak regularly. It is reported that cleanliness is the pathway to health and strength. There is nothing wrong with being self-critical. In fact, it is desirable to self-criticize. Let us make sure that our house, street, neighborhood, surrounding. etc are clean and hygienic. Cleanliness is the pathway to health and strength. Islam wants a healthy and strong Muslim society which is immune against infectious diseases and is capable of understanding and applying God’s message and carrying it away to the whole world. The Holy Quran says: You are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing In Allah. (Surah Aal-Imran, 3/110) In view of the importance of cleanliness in Islam, Muslims should have the highest criterion of cleanliness and personal hygiene of all the people in the world. But, it is highly disappointing that the heap of garbage has become an identity of Muslim homes and localities. In many countries, Muslim majority areas are marked with unhygienic and unhealthy conditions. May Allah (swt) guide us all towards right path and prevent us from departing it. May He protect us from misguidance and evil temptation,…” …Ameen!
(The authors write regularly on Islamic topics exclusively for “Kashmir Horizon”. Views are their own, [email protected])