Personal Hygiene in Islam

Islam is a holistic religion that takes into account humankind’s need for a balance between physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. Personal hygiene and cleanliness, both physical and spiritual, keeps both the body and mind free from disease. Cleanliness is an important part of the high standards and values that are inherent in Islam. Absolutely nothing new in it that Islam lays great emphasis on both physical and spiritual, cleanliness and purification and as such muslims obliged to pray five times a day maintain highest standards of personal hygiene . So no questions can be asked to any muslim over the issue of personal hygiene. While people of other religions and faiths usually consider cleanliness to be a pleasing attribute, Islam insists on it heavily and significantly. 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 not once but five times a day. Prophet Muhammad Says “cleanliness is half of faith” and holy 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). In Islam certain aspects of personal hygiene are not only important but also mandatory. Muslim believe that cleanliness is of three kinds, purification, or ritual washing in order to perform prayer; keeping the body, clothing, and environment clean; and specifically removing the dirt or grime that collects in the various parts of the body, such as teeth, nostrils, under the nails, in the armpits and around the pubic area. Before performing obligatory or a volunteery prayer a muslim has to perform either wudu (often translated as ablution) or ghusl (a full bath). Wudu rids the body of minor impurities, and ghusl cleanses the body of major impurities.
The religion of Islam is a holistic way of life. It is not separated into physical, emotional and spiritual areas; rather it teaches that all aspects of life combine to fulfill one purpose.
Islam has set guidelines even over eating habits and are best explained in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad popularly called “Hadith”. Eating with the right hand is one such saying and it is obligatory for Muslims unless there is an excuse such as illness or injury. The left hand is usually used to clean the body of filth and impurities while the right hand is used for eating, passing objects from one person to another and for shaking hands. Prophet Muhammad advised us all to wash our hands before and after eating regardless of whether we are in the state of ritual purity or not. It is acceptable to rinse with water, but the scholars of Islam have said it is preferable to use soap or a cleaning liquid. It is also recommended to rinse the mouth after eating. “The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) set a time limit for us for trimming the mustache, trimming nails, removing armpit hairs and removing pubic hairs. They cannot be left for more than forty nights” (Recorded by Muslim). Letting them grow long resembles animals and some of the disbelievers. May Allah keep keep all of us well. The religion of Islam is a holistic way of life. It is not separated into physical, emotional and spiritual areas; rather it teaches that all aspects of life combine to fulfill one purpose.