Cleanliness And Purification

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ; peace be upon him) said, “Cleanliness is half of faith”. [Sahih Muslim]

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" [Surah 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” [Surah at-Tawbah 9:108]

Points to Ponder:

1. It starts within. You must have the desire to obey Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala; the most glorified the most high), when he ordered us to be clean. By doing so, you are getting reward (in sha Allah), so start with your intention to create a solid foundation that lasts a lifetime.

2. Spread the knowledge with family, friends and acquaintances. Help them understand that it is an act of worship. This will instil good character for how they take care of their own home, others homes, workplaces and even public places.

3. Always leave a place better than you found it. For example keeping the bathroom wiped down after usage gives us a peaceful place to do wudu (ablution), and it clears the mind in preparation for worship