Purity between Islam and Christianity

 

One day, a Christian colleague of mine asked me, “Do you perform purification?” (My question stemmed from my inability to exchange anything, including an innate feeling of discomfort).
She replied, “What do you mean?” Do you mean bathing? I told her, “No, bathing is practiced by all humans.
I mean purification after sexual impurity, menstruation, and so on!”
She looked at me in surprise and said, “We bathe according to the circumstances. We do not have anything that stipulates that, and we do not have specific rituals.” This
was a great shock to me, so I decided to make this simple comparison between Christianity and Islam, the religion of purity (purity of soul and body).


I will address purity in Christianity from the point of view of the distorted book, of course, because it is completely different from what Jesus called for.
Christ, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, was committed to purity, and he would bathe after sexual impurity, and he required menstruating women to wash themselves.

The Christian sects believe that all of this is not obligatory, and that a person gets up from a woman’s stomach, urinates, defecates, and does not touch water or clean himself, and the urine and excrement run down his leg and thigh, and he prays like that, and his prayer is valid and complete, and if he defecates or urinates while praying, it does not harm him, let alone if he breaks his fast or farts. They say: Praying while in a state of major ritual impurity, urinating, or defecating is better than praying while in a state of purity, because then it is further from the prayer of the Muslims and Jews, and closer to contradicting the two nations.

The monk and the priest forgive their sins!! And their women are good for them!!!
And among the Christians, there is no punishment in this world for someone who commits adultery, sodomy, or drunkenness, nor is there any punishment in the hereafter; because the priest and the monk forgive them, so whenever one of them commits a sin, he gives the priest a gift, or money, or something else, so that he may forgive him!!

And if a woman committed adultery with a priest in order for him to perfume her for her, then she left him and told her husband that the priest had perfumed her before that from her and was blessed by him!!!

The Church Fathers relied on the fact that Christ did not care about sex. His comments on this subject are rare, "especially with regard to his many remarks about wealth and the desire for possession and the sexual references in Christ's words, which were intended for another purpose, such as talking about "adultery of the heart," i.e. emphasizing that actions are judged by intentions.

Mrs. "Ray Tanahel's" opinion agrees with ours when she says: "It seems that the Church considered the Roman woman the opposite model. "For everything that a Christian woman should be", and therefore the beautification of a woman was considered forbidden, as for natural beauty, it was hated and it was preferable to neglect it and cover it so that it would not appear, as it was dangerous for anyone who looked at it,

even cleanliness was hated, as he who washed in Christ did not need to bathe (p. 136, Sex in History and the text of Tertullian).

"The plague was more deadly among Christians than among Muslims and Jews, because cleanliness (Darlington pp. 300)

was not part of the Christian faith, as Saint Jerome said, "He who washed in the blood of Christ does not need to be cleaned" and the author comments, "But it seems that cleanliness of the soul did not help much in resisting the fleas that transmit the plague."

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As for purity in Islam, its meaning is broad. Islam is a religion built on cleanliness and purity in its broad sense, material and spiritual. God

Almighty said in Surat Al-Baqarah 222: {Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.} And

God Almighty said in Surat Al-Ma’idah 6: {But He desires to purify you and to complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.}

Therefore, the meaning of purity for Muslims is one of the known meanings that does not need further explanation, as there is a great portion of religious issues that revolve around purity and what corresponds to it, such as impurity and ritual impurity. Due to the frequent use and daily practice of purification and cleansing, purity has become one of the legal or legislative facts, as the fundamentalists say.



Legal purity is either impure or ritual impurity:

It is clear that purity, impurity, and ritual impurity are among the matters of consideration that the sacred Lawgiver has considered. The Lawgiver has considered several things impure and counted them as impurities, such as blood, urine, feces, dead animals, and other impurities that will be explained in a special chapter. The Lawgiver has ruled that these matters must be avoided and guarded against. What the jurists have agreed upon as (impure purity) is abstaining from these impurities and removing them from clothes, the body, and other tools that a person uses. There are

special types and special tools for purification from these things and removing their impurity that the sacred Lawgiver has considered, and they will be explained in the chapter on purifiers, God willing.

Purity may be a ritual purity, and this is done by ablution or ritual washing. Any ritual impurity that requires ablution, such as sleeping, urination or defecation, etc., is considered a minor ritual impurity. Any ritual impurity that requires ritual washing, such as major ritual impurity, menstruation, postpartum bleeding, etc., is considered a major ritual impurity.

Purity in Islam includes:
purity of utensils
, purity of clothing,
and purity of the body.

Here are the fruits and benefits of purity:

Since purification has great benefits, clear fruits, wisdoms and advantages for the hearts and bodies, we would like to stand on some of the fruits of purification. It is not just a matter of washing these extremities for cleanliness and purity, but there are great wisdoms and benefits in ablution and interests that do not occur to many people. For this and other reasons, we have collected these fruits and benefits, and they are many, so we will limit ourselves to some of them.

1- Since these extremities are the place of earning and work, and these extremities are the doors to all sins and transgressions, including what is in the face such as hearing, sight, tongue, smell and taste, and the same is the case with all other organs, purification expiates all sins. Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa’i narrated on the authority of Abdullah As-Sunabhi that he said: “ When the believing slave performs ablution, his sins come out of his mouth, and when he blows his nose, the sins come out of his nose, and when he washes his face, the sins come out of his face until they come out from under his eyelashes, and when he washes his hands, the sins come out until they come out from under his fingernails, and when he wipes his head, the sins come out of his head until they come out from his ears, and when he washes his feet, the sins come out of his feet until they come out from his toenails. ” According to At-Tirmidhi: “His sins come out with the water or with the last drop of water.”

Some scholars disliked wiping the excess of ablution because it would take a long time for the sins to come out, and because it is an excess of worship. One of the wives of the Prophet brought a handkerchief to the Prophet when he finished his ablution, so he returned it and began to shake it with his hands.

So purification expiates sins on condition of performing it thoroughly. Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi inferred from the last verse of ablution in Surat al-Ma'idah, when Allah the Almighty says: { And that He may complete His favor upon you} [al-Ma'idah: 6] , that the favor includes expiating sins.

2- That one of the fruits of this ablution is that it is the characteristic of this nation and their mark on their faces and limbs on the Day of Resurrection among the nations, and it is not for anyone else. What is meant by adornment is performing ablution frequently, not adding to the parts of ablution.

Imam al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that he said: I heard the Prophet say: {My nation will come on the Day of Resurrection uncircumcised and with limbs from the traces of ablution .} In a narration by Ahmad: How will your nation be recognized, O Messenger of Allah, among the nations between Noah and your nation... then he mentioned the hadith.

3- Among the fruits of purification is that it activates the limbs and increases the removal of impurities from the body, so the servant stands in a state of purity and activity. This has been proven because water restores his activity, strength and vitality. Even more effective than this is washing. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to someone who had intercourse with his wife and then wanted to return to him that he should perform ablution. And he explained in a narration by Al-Hakim that it is more energizing for the return. Hence, one of the reasons for the spread of diseases is the lack of purity and washing. If the servant spends the night in a state of major ritual impurity, his soul is not permitted to prostrate under the Throne, as in the famous hadith mentioned by Ibn Al-Qayyim in Al-Ruh.

4- Among the fruits of purity is that ablution is the weapon of the believer. Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Indeed, proper ablution drives away Satan from you.” Therefore, it is recommended to sleep in a state of purity, because if the servant sleeps in a state of purity, the angel will spend the night in his garment. It is known that when the angels are present, the devils will leave. Likewise, it is recommended for someone who is beginning to treat someone who has been touched by the jinn to perform ablution before treatment, because it is a fortress against Satan.

5- One of the fruits of ablution is that it is one of the hidden characteristics of faith that only a believer maintains, as Imam Ahmad narrated from the hadith of Thawban on the authority of the Prophet, who said: “Only a believer maintains ablution.” One of the fruits of maintaining purity is bearing witness to his faith.

6- One of the fruits of purity is that if the servant completes ablution and ends it with the two testimonies of faith, it will result in the opening of the gates of Paradise. Imam Muslim narrated on the authority of Omar and Uqbah  on the authority of the Prophet that he said: “There is no one among you who performs ablution and completes it completely, then says: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, except that the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter through whichever one he wishes.” And in a narration by Imam al-Tirmidhi: “O Allah, make me among those who repent and make me among those who purify themselves.”
7- Among the fruits of purity, especially if the servant sleeps while he is pure, the angel prays for his forgiveness whenever he turns over at any hour. It was proven by Imam Al-Bazzar - and Al-Haythami said: Its chain of transmission is good - on the authority of Ibn Omar on the authority of the Prophet that he said: “Whoever sleeps while pure, an angel sleeps in his garment - which is the clothing that is attached to the body - and he does not wake up at night except that the angel says: O God, forgive your servant as he slept while pure.” So if the servant sleeps while pure, he obtains three qualities: the angel sleeps in his garment, the angel prays for his forgiveness, and if he dies, he dies in a state of purity, even though sleep is a lesser death.

8- Among the fruits of purity is that Allah raises its owner in degrees. Imam Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah who said: The Messenger of Allah said: {Shall I not guide you to something by which Allah erases sins and raises ranks? They said: Yes. He said: Performing ablution perfectly in times of difficulty.} Performing ablution perfectly in the cold, especially at night, raises ranks, and Allah boasts about it to the angels, and Allah looks at its owner.

9- Among the fruits of purity is that performing ablution at home and then going to the mosque in a state of purity is a voluntary act of worship, as Allah has forgiven his sins through ablution, and its owner is a visitor of Allah. Imam Al-Tabarani narrated - and its chain of transmission is good - on the authority of Salman, with a chain of transmission traceable to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: { Whoever performs ablution in his home and does it well, then comes to the mosque, is a visitor of Allah, and it is the right of the one being visited to honor the visitor.} As for his saying: And his walking was a voluntary act, Imam Muslim mentioned it.
10- One of the great fruits of purity is Allah’s love for those who purify themselves. Allah the Almighty says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” [Al-Baqarah: 222] Purity is purification from ritual impurity with water, and purification

from polytheism and sins through repentance. So look, may Allah have mercy on you, how many fruits there are in purity, and how many reasons are made easy for the servant to expiate sins; perhaps he will purify himself before death and meet his Lord pure; thus, he will be fit to be close to his Lord in the House of Peace. But unfortunately, despite these virtues, we see some worshippers who do not perform ablution properly. Some of them have some areas on their faces that water does not reach, especially school students, such as the forehead and near the ears, and some of them wash half of their hands, or you see some spots that water does not reach on the ankles, in addition to other mistakes and violations. The bottom line is that the Muslim should learn the description of complete ablution and be keen on it.

Complete ablution

1- The intention before it, so he performs ablution and intends with that ablution to make the prayer permissible, according to the hadith {Actions are but by intentions}. Unlike if he washes the parts of ablution in order to remove dust or dirt, or to cool himself from the intense heat, then it is not considered ablution.

2- Saying Bismillah, as it was reported from him that he said: {There is no ablution for the one who does not mention the name of Allah upon it}. It was narrated by nine of the companions, and Ibn Kathir, Al-Mundhiri, Ibn Al-Qayyim, Ibn Hajar, and Al-Shawkani deemed it good, because the weakness was due to memorization, so they combined together and the hadith was classified as good according to others, because if the weakness was due to the narrator being accused of lying, then some of them would not support each other.

The ruling on saying Bismillah: The correct opinion of the scholars is that it is recommended. This is the opinion of the majority, due to the apparent meaning of the Book, as in the verse of Surah Al-Ma’idah describing ablution, as Allah did not command saying Bismillah, and the hadith of the Bedouin when he asked the Prophet about ablution, so he said to him: {Perform ablution as Allah has commanded you} and the negation was taken to mean that it is not a complete ablution, and the best and most complete thing is to mention Bismillah, because the one who remembers Allah during his ablution is not like the one who does not remember. As for if he is in the bathroom, he should say Bismillah in his heart, according to the hadith: {If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in

Myself}. 3- Washing his hands three times. This is recommended except when getting up from sleep, as washing the hands before ablution is obligatory, according to the hadith narrated by him: {If one of you wakes up from sleep, let him wash his hands three times, for he does not know where his hands have been during the night}, whether he was pouring water on his hands or scooping water with his hand, so he must wash his hands after getting up from sleep. As for if he was not asleep, then washing is recommended, because the hands are the carrier of the organs of ablution, so it is recommended to wash them before putting them in the vessel.

4- Rinsing the mouth and nose with one scoop of water from the right hand three times, according to the hadith: {So rinse your mouth and nose three times with three}. The complete Sunnah in rinsing the mouth is to put water in the mouth, then move it, then spit it out.

The ruling on rinsing the mouth and nose in the most correct of the opinions of the scholars is that it is a Sunnah and not obligatory; this is due to the apparent meaning of the Book as in the verse of Al-Ma’idah. Allah did not command rinsing the mouth and nose, and the hadith of the Bedouin when he was asked about ablution said: {Perform ablution as Allah has commanded...}. However, it is better and more complete to do them to preserve it as in the description of his ablution. It was said about the wisdom of rinsing the mouth and nose that if the servant rinses his mouth, he will realize the harm if there is harm in the water, like someone who performs ablution in the dark and realizes the harm before washing his face, and other rulings.

5- Washing the face three times.

6- Washing the hands three times, and it is necessary to wash the hands from the tips of the fingers to the elbows, and the elbows are included in that because it is done, but adding more after that is not permissible because he did not do it, as for the adornment of the believer, it is achieved by frequent ablution and persistence in it, not by adding more, so it is not permissible for anyone to add to his ablution, because he is the most fearful and pious of people towards Allah Almighty.

7- Wiping the head, including the ears, and wiping once from the front of the head to the back, then returning again to the forelock as it was reported from him: {Then he wiped his head, turning them forward and backward once}, as for the woman, the Sunnah is to wipe once, facing forward and not turning back.

8- Washing the feet to the ankles three times, and this also includes the ankles.

Note: Know that it is permissible for the person performing ablution to wash some parts three times, some twice, and some once. The person performing ablution has a choice, so the highest degree of perfection is three times, the middle twice, and the lowest once, and it is permissible to wash some parts three times, some twice, and some once.

9- Maintaining the verbal Sunnah that is said after completing ablution.

This is the description of complete ablution. May God’s prayers and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family and his companions.

Cleanliness and purity represent religious behavior and an advanced civilizational sign. They are inseparable from the course of human development and its pursuit of the best. Therefore, it was not strange that Islam's interest in this matter reached the point of making purity a condition for the acceptance of worship[1], and also made cleanliness a sign of faith. Whether it is related to the purity of the body, clothing, or place, Islam's keenness on this virtue is evident in every detail of a Muslim's life. This is what we will be keen to clarify in this article.
The difference between purity and
cleanliness Purity is in creation and meanings; because it requires the absence of defect. It is said that someone is pure in morals, and you say that the believer is pure and purified; meaning that he has all praiseworthy qualities, and the unbeliever is filthy; because he is the opposite of the believer. You say that he is pure in clothing and body. It indicates the absence of filth, and is not used in meanings. You say that he is clean in image, meaning that he is handsome, and clean in clothing and body, but you do not say clean in creation[2].
Purity is more specific than cleanliness, and it is of two types:
The first: Spiritual purity; which is purifying the heart from glorifying anyone other than Allah so that the heart is obedient to its Creator and no one else, which is the meaning of a person being a Muslim. This is followed by purifying the tongue by uttering the two testimonies of faith. And confirming all of that with righteous deeds, so spiritual purity is achieved. Allah the Almighty said about the wives of the Prophet: {Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you with a thorough purification} (Al-Ahzab, 33). In contrast, the Holy Quran described the polytheists as unclean because of their polytheism and the corruption of their belief. Allah the Almighty said: {O you who have believed, indeed, the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this year of theirs. And if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you from His bounty, if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.} (At-Tawbah, 28).
The second: Physical purity, which is of two types:
The first: Purity from filth, which is impurity, by removing it and washing its place. The second: Purity from minor ritual impurity, which is done by performing ritual ablution and ritual washing, or dry ablution.
The urging of purity and cleanliness in the Holy Qur’an
is one of the first things revealed to the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, in Mecca. It is the command to purify oneself, as God Almighty says: {And your clothing, purify} (Al-Muddaththir, 4). Purification is only achieved with pure water. God Almighty says: {And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy, and We send down from the sky pure water} (Al-Furqan, 48). He also said, {When He covered you with drowsiness as a security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky water to purify you thereby and remove from you the defilement of Satan and to strengthen your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.} (Al-Anfal, 11).
Personal hygiene for Muslims
Personal hygiene is one of the important topics in Islam, because inner purity cannot be achieved with the corruption of the outer, but rather apparent purity is a condition for achieving purity of the soul. Therefore, we have seen many Quranic legislations that focus greatly on purity and personal hygiene, and this was evident in the applications of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and his call to pay attention to it without exaggeration or affectation. We can summarize this as follows:
1_ Body cleanliness: This is done by ensuring that it is free from dirt and impurities, and taking the initiative to remove them if the body is affected by any of them. Because some people may not pay enough attention to body cleanliness, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, warned of the necessity of bathing even once a week, saying: “It is the right of every Muslim to bathe every seven days, one day in which he washes his head and body.”[3] The hadith supports the words of God Almighty: “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every mosque.” (Al-A’raf, 31). A week should not pass without a bath for a Muslim. For this reason, some jurists have said that Friday bathing is obligatory for everyone who is required to do so, based on the words of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: “Whoever among you comes to Friday prayer [4] It
was narrated on the authority of Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) said: (Ghusl on Friday is obligatory for every adult) [5]. It
was narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) said: (This is a day of celebration that Allah has made for the Muslims, so whoever comes to Friday prayers should take a bath...) [6].
The command in the previous hadiths is to clarify the importance and the great virtue, and it is not understood from them that it is obligatory, because other hadiths have been narrated that clarify the intended meaning of the command and that it is recommended, not obligatory, including:
what was narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) said: (Whoever performs ablution and does it well, then comes to Friday prayers, listens, and keeps quiet, his sins between that day and Friday will be forgiven, plus three more days, and whoever touches pebbles has engaged in idle talk) [7]. Al-Hafiz said in Al-Talkhees: (It is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that ablution is not obligatory on Friday) [8].
Among them is the hadith of Samurah that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Whoever performs ablution on Friday, then that is good and well, and whoever takes a bath, then bathing is better.”[9] It was reported in the hadith on the authority of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: “People used to come to Friday from their homes and from the high places, and they would come wearing cloaks, and dust and sweat would cover them, and wind would come out of them. Then a person from them came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he was with me, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Why don’t you purify yourself for this day of yours?”[10]
We understand from the previous hadiths that it is permissible to limit oneself to ablution, and what we understand from the totality of the narrations is that a week should not pass without a bath, and for this reason some jurists have gone so far as to make the Friday bath obligatory for everyone upon whom it is obligatory, while others disagreed and said that the matter in the hadith is for recommendation, not obligation, and whatever the matter is, it encourages cleanliness in general and purity in particular.
2_ Honoring the hair: meaning, taking care of its appearance by combing it and preserving it. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, was keen on combing and oiling his hair and instructed his companions to do so. Jabir said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, came to visit us in our house and saw a disheveled man[11], so he said: “Couldn’t this man find something to calm his hair?”[12].
3- Perfuming: meaning using perfume, especially when meeting people, such as gathering for Friday prayer. Salman al-Farsi, may God be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “No man bathes on Friday and purifies himself as much as he can, and oils himself with his own oil or touches some of the perfume in his house, then goes to the mosque and does not separate two people, then prays what is prescribed for him, and listens to the imam when he speaks, except that he will be forgiven for what happened between one Friday and the next.”[13] Abu Saeed al-Khudri, may God be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Every Muslim must bathe on Friday and wear his best clothes, and if he has perfume, he should touch some of it.”[14]
4_ Avoid eating some foods that cause unpleasant odors when you want to meet with people, especially during congregational and Friday prayers. And from this prohibition is the eating of garlic, onions and the like if one wants to pray in congregation, including the saying of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: “Whoever eats this vegetable, garlic – and he said once: Whoever eats onions, garlic and leeks, let him not come near our mosque, for the angels are harmed by what harms the sons of Adam.”[15] The purpose of the prohibition is not to forbid eating it, but rather to be careful not to eat it when intending to gather with people, especially in prayer. This is explained by his saying, may God bless him and grant him peace, in another hadith: “Whoever eats this vegetable, let him not come near our mosques, until he goes away.” Its smell” meaning garlic[16].
4_ Teeth cleanliness. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, showed special concern for their cleanliness. Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Were it not that I would make it difficult for my nation or for the people, I would have commanded them to use the siwak with every prayer.”[17] This hadith permits using the siwak at all times, as he said: “With every ablution and with every prayer.” Prayer may be obligatory at most times, such as the evening, midday, and morning.[18]
It was narrated from him - may God bless him and grant him peace - that he said: (The siwak purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord). And from Ibn Abbas, the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - said: (I was commanded to use the siwak, until I feared that revelation would be sent to me about it)[19]. The siwak is the name of the stick that is used for siwak, and it is also a source that indicates the process of siwak[20]. Therefore, the Sunnah is achieved by siwak using the arak stick as well as by using modern means such as a brush and toothpaste, with emphasis on the importance of using the arak stick because of its health effects on the human mouth in general and on the teeth and gums in particular.
4_ Cutting the nails, which is one of the Sunnahs of fitrah and the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - kept them short. Al-Bazzar, Al-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, and Al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab Al-Iman narrated with a good chain of transmission on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that “the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to trim his nails and moustache on Friday before going out to pray.”[21]
5- Shaving the pubic hair and plucking the armpit hair[22]
These are two of the Sunnahs of the fitrah as mentioned in a number of narrations. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, plucking the armpit hair, trimming the nails, and cutting the moustache.”[23] The Muslim should continue to apply this Sunnah and not leave it for a long time. On the authority of Anas bin Malik, he said: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set a time limit for us for trimming the moustache, trimming the nails, shaving the pubic hair, and plucking the armpit hair, that we should not leave it for more than forty days, and he said another time forty nights.”[24]
6- Cleanliness of clothes.
One of the blessings of Allah Almighty upon man is that He created for him clothing from which he makes his clothes, which cover his private parts, beautify his appearance, protect him from the heat and cold, and lessen the impact of winds and dust. Allah Almighty says: {O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.} (Al-A`raf: 26). Clothing is to man like feathers are to birds. The fullness of a bird’s feathers beautifies and protects it, and the same is true for man. A Muslim chooses what protects him from the heat and cold and what covers him. He should take care to keep his clothing clean and pure because that increases the beauty and elegance of his clothing.
The emphasis on cleanliness of clothing increases when gathering for prayer and other occasions, such as banquets and public gatherings. It was reported in the hadith on the authority of Abdullah bin Salam, may God be pleased with him, that he heard the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, say on the pulpit on Friday: “What is wrong with one of you buying two garments for Friday other than his work clothes?”[25]
And on the authority of Jabir, that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, saw a man wearing dirty clothes, so he said: “Couldn’t this man find something to wash his clothes with?”[26]
The Muslim wears clean clothes and chooses the types that suit his capabilities and means, and the Muslim should not be shabby and disheveled, thinking that this will bring him closer to God Almighty.[27] The Holy Qur’an responds to those who hold this view by saying: “Say: ‘Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good things of provision?’ Say: ‘They are for those who believe in worldly life and exclusively on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus do We explain the verses in detail for a people who know.” (Al-A’raf, 32) On the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he said: “He who has in his heart an atom’s weight of arrogance will not enter Paradise. A man said: ‘A man likes his clothes to be nice and his shoes to be nice.’ He said: ‘Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and belittling people.’”[28]
A Muslim should not use his clothes as a place for vanity and arrogance. The Holy Quran condemned Qarun when he went out to his people in his adornment, saying: {So he came out before his people in his adornment}. There is a difference between adorning oneself to show off one’s blessings and adorning oneself to show off one’s arrogance towards people.
Islam has desired that the garment for congregational prayer be different from the garment for work, in order to ensure complete cleanliness and a good appearance. This is for those who work in areas where clothes get dirty. Otherwise, it is not necessary to change the garment.
It was narrated that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “There is nothing wrong with one of you, if he finds it, or there is nothing wrong with one of you, if you find it, to take two garments for Friday other than his two garments for work.”[29]
General cleanliness:
We find Islam’s concern for personal cleanliness, which is represented by many Qur’anic laws and prophetic directives. If a Muslim adheres to them, the goal of Islam will be achieved, that the Muslim lives in complete purity. The same applies to public cleanliness, as we have found many laws and directives to preserve the private and public environment by urging the cleanliness of homes, roads and public squares. We will mention this briefly:
1_ Home cleanliness
Purity of the place of prayer is a condition for the validity of prayer, as I mentioned earlier, based on the Almighty’s saying: {And We have charged Abraham and Ishmael, saying, “Purify My House for those who go around it, and those who stay there, and those who bow and prostrate.”} (Al-Baqarah: 125). This purification includes purification from impurities and filth, and from manifestations of polytheism and sins. A Muslim’s home is never devoid of prayer, whether it is an obligatory or voluntary prayer, or a night prayer. Therefore, it is essential to maintain its purity.
Maintaining the purity of the place, especially mosques, has great merit, despite the fact that this craft is belittled. However, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not refrain from helping his family clean and sweep the house, and he demonstrated through practical application his great appreciation for those who perform this task. On the authority of Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him: A black man or woman used to be in the mosque, cleaning the mosque [30], and he died and the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, did not know about his death. He mentioned him one day and said: “What did that man do?” They said: He died, O Messenger of God. He said: “Why didn’t you inform me?” They said: He was such and such – his story – he said: So they belittled his status, he said: “Then show me his grave.” So he went to his grave and prayed over him [31].
2_ Cleanliness of the road and public places
The cleanliness of the road and public squares is evidence of the sophistication of the people of the country, and the moral characteristics of society are known from the cleanliness of the roads and squares; their cleanliness is more pleasing to the soul, purer for breathing, and more deserving of respect. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, warns against causing harm to the road or public places that people go to for shade and rest, saying: “Beware of the two curses.” They said: “And what are the two curses, O Messenger of God?” He said: “The one who relieves himself in people’s paths or in their shade.” [32] This is confirmed in another hadith: “Beware of the three curses: defecating in watering places, in the middle of the road, and in the shade.” [33]
And since the road is not free from being dirty for any reason, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, directed the removal of dirt and harm that is stuck to the road, and he considered that to be one of the doors of goodness. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he said: “Removing harm
from the road is charity.” [34] To emphasize this fact, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, mentioned the branches of faith to show that removing harm from the road is the last of them, by saying: “Faith has seventy-odd or sixty-odd branches, the best of which is the statement, ‘There is no god but God,’ and the least of which is removing harm from the road, and modesty is a branch of faith.” [35] And the Prophet,
may God bless him and grant him peace, explains the great reward of the one who removes harm from people’s paths by giving a living example to be more conducive to understanding, by saying: “While a man was walking…” On the way, he found a thorny branch on the road, so he took it, and God thanked him for it and forgave him [36]
“On the authority of Abu Saeed, with a chain of transmission traceable to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘Allaah forgives a man who removes a thorny branch from the road, for his past and future sins.’ … On the authority of Anas, who said: ‘There was a tree on the road of people and it was harming them, so a man removed it from their road. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I saw him rolling in its shade in Paradise.’” [37] Know that a person will be rewarded for removing harm and everything that harms people on the road. This indicates that throwing thorns, stones, sweeping, and water that spoils the roads, and everything that harms people, one fears punishment in this world and the Hereafter. There is no doubt that removing harm from the road is an act of righteousness, and that acts of righteousness expiate sins and bring about forgiveness. A wise person should not belittle any act of righteousness. The basis for all of this is the saying of Allaah, the Most High: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it} (Al-Zalzalah: 7). Removing harm from the road is a branch of faith.”[37]
Allaah has made it obligatory for people to be grateful for His countless blessings. Since it is impossible to count, Allah the Almighty made every beneficial action a form of gratitude to Him, and it contains kindness to His servants. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Every joint of a person[38] must give charity every day the sun rises: doing justice between two people is charity, helping a man with his mount, carrying him on it or lifting his belongings onto it for him is charity, a kind word is charity, every step you take to prayer is charity, and removing harmful things from the road is charity.”[39]
The virtue of purity and removing harm
1- Attaining the love of Allah the Almighty, and that is enough of a blessing. Whoever is keen on purity in both its material and spiritual aspects deserves the love of Allah the Almighty; the command to wash and perform ablution is a way to achieve the purpose of Islam, that a person should live pure in his soul, body, and environment. Allah the Almighty praised the people of Quba, and made their keenness on purity and cleanliness a reason for His love for them. Where He said, {In it are men who love to purify themselves, and God loves those who purify themselves} (At-Tawbah, 108). Al-Baghawi said in his interpretation: That is, they purify themselves from ritual impurities, major ritual impurities, and filth. Ata’ said: They used to clean themselves with water and not sleep at night in a state of major ritual impurity.
2_ Forgiveness of sins and expiation of transgressions. On the authority of Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “While a man was walking
on a road, he found a thorny branch on the road, so he took it, and God thanked him for it and forgave him.”[40] 3_ Removing harm from the road is one of the good deeds. On the authority of Abu Dharr, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, he said: “The deeds of my nation, both good and bad, were presented to me, and I found among their good deeds the removal of harm from the road, and I found among their bad deeds the phlegm that is in the mosque and is not buried.”[41] The ground of the mosque was made of dirt, and burial was possible. Today, mosques are furnished and it is unimaginable to do so. Spitting in the streets and public places is also not appropriate, because there is no room for burial, as the streets and squares are paved or paved; and because it leads to severe harm, so may Allah have mercy on those who avoid it.
4_ Entering Paradise is based on Allah’s love for the servant. We have mentioned that maintaining purity and cleanliness is a reason for Allah’s love for the servant. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “I saw a man rolling around in Paradise in a tree that he had cut from the middle of the road because it was harming people.”[42]
5_ Maintaining cleanliness and purity is also a reason for people’s love. Don’t you see people being repelled by those known for their filth and drawn to those known for their cleanliness? This applies to individuals, institutions, restaurants, hotels, and even countries. Don’t you see people’s desire to go towards the cleanest place and avoid dirty places?
Written by: Gamal Ahmed Najm

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[1] “No prayer is accepted without purification.” Sahih Muslim, Chapter on the Obligation of Purity for Prayer, 224

[2] Al-Askari’s Linguistic Differences. The Difference Between Cleanliness and Purity 1/264

[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari, 3/418

[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari (854), and Sahih Muslim (844).

[5] Sahih Al-Bukhari (855), and Sahih Muslim (846).

[6] Sunan Ibn Majah (1098) with a good chain of transmission.

[7] Narrated by Muslim (857).

[8] Al-Talkhees Al-Habeer (2/72).

[9] Narrated by Abu Dawud (354), and Al-Tirmidhi (497) and he authenticated it, and narrated by Ahmad (5/8, 11, 15, 16, 22) and Al-Nasa’i (3/94), and narrated by Ibn Majah from the hadith of Anas (1091).

[10] Agreed upon. Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter: From where Friday prayer is performed, 902.

[11] Sha’th: someone whose hair has changed and become matted due to not using enough oil.

[12] Sahih Ibn Hibban, (5575) 22/492.

[13] Narrated by al-Bukhari, Chapter: Oiling for Friday prayer, 883.

[14] Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, and it is a sahih hadith, al-Fath al-Rabbani 6/48.

[15] Sahih Muslim, Chapter: Prohibiting one who eats garlic, onions, leeks, or the like, 74 – (564)

[16] Sahih Muslim, Chapter: Prohibiting one who eats garlic, onions, leeks, or the like, 69 – (561)

[17] Sahih [18] Al-Bukhari, 838

[18] Al-Tamhid li-Ma fi al-Muwatta, Hadith 28, 7/198

[19] Fath al-Bari by Ibn Rajab, Chapter on Siwak on Friday, 8/126

[20] See Al-Misbah al-Munir, entry on Siwak

[21]. (Al-Durr al-Manthur, 1/219)

[22] The pubic area and the area surrounding the front and back are areas that sweat a lot and rub against each other. If the hair is not shaved, sweat and oil secretions will accumulate on them. If they become contaminated with bodily secretions such as urine and feces, it will be difficult to clean them at that time. The contamination may extend to what is adjacent to them, increasing and expanding the area of ​​impurity. Then, its accumulation leads to its fermentation, causing it to stink and giving off very unpleasant odors. It may prevent the validity of the prayer if it is not cleaned and the impurities are not removed from it. Shaving the pubic hair also protects against a number of harmful parasitic diseases such as pubic lice, which cling to the hair roots and are difficult to eliminate. Shaving also reduces the possibility of contracting suspected fungi. Therefore, Islam has prescribed shaving the pubic hair and the hair around the anus whenever it is long to ensure its continuous cleanliness and because it is one of the areas of the body most exposed to pollution and disease.
Plucking the armpits also weakens the secretion of sweat and sebaceous glands. Getting used to it (i.e. plucking) from the beginning of its growth without ever shaving it also weakens the hair and the person does not feel any pain when plucking it. Plucking means doing it by hand and it can also be removed with hair removal creams.
In fact, the growth of hair under the armpits after puberty is accompanied by the maturation of special sweat glands that secrete substances with a special smell that, if accumulated with dirt and dust, become rancid and have a bad smell. Plucking this hair greatly reduces this smell and reduces the incidence of many diseases that affect that area, such as ringworm, fungal infections, inflammation of the sweat glands (armpit lice), inflammation of the hair follicles, and others. It also protects against infection with insects that parasitize the hair, such as pubic lice. Masterpieces of Islamic Medicine, 1/71. Dr. Muhammad Nizar Al-Daqr. [23] Sunan al-Nasa’i, Chapter on Plucking Armpit Hair, 11, authenticated by al-Albani [24] Sunan al-Nasa’i, Chapter on Timing in That, 14, authenticated by al-Albani [ 25] Sunan Abi Dawud, Chapter on Wearing for Friday Prayer, 1078, and its chain of transmission is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim, as Sheikh al -Albani said in Ghayat al-Maram, p. 64. [26] Narrated by Ahmad 3/357, Abu Dawud (4062) in Clothing: Chapter on Washing Clothes and on Creases, al-Nasa’i 8/183-184 in Adornment: Chapter on Combing Hair, Abu Ya’la (2026), al-Hakim 4/186, and Abu Nu’aym 6/78 from various chains of transmission on the authority of al-Awza’i, with this chain of transmission, and al-Hakim authenticated it according to the conditions of the two sheikhs. [27] Ibn al-Humam, may God have mercy on him, said in this context: A group of the poor were so lax about this that one of their clothes reached a level that is blameworthy according to reason and custom, and almost blameworthy according to the Sharia. Satan tempted one of them and made him refrain from cleaning it, saying something like, “Clean your heart before your clothes,” not to advise him, but to discourage him from obeying the commands of God and His Messenger and to prevent him from fulfilling the rights of his companions and the gatherings of the group in which cleanliness is required. If he had investigated, he would have found that cleanliness of the exterior helps in cleaning the interior. (Fayd al-Qadir, 2/285) [28] Sahih Muslim, 131 [29] Sunan Abi Dawud, 910 [30] He cleans the mosque, i.e. he sweeps it and cleans it [31] Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter on praying at the grave, 1337 [32] Sunan Abi Dawud, 23 [33] Sunan Abi Dawud, 24 [34] Sahih al-Bukhari, 8/354 [35] Sahih al-Bukhari, 51 [36] Sahih al-Bukhari, 2292 [37] Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter on taking a branch and what harms, 2742 [38] The phalanx is the joint of the bone [39] Narrated by al-Bukhari (2707) and (2891) and (2989), Muslim (1009) (56), Ibn Hibban (3381) and Ahmad 8183 [40] Sahih al-Bukhari, 2292 [41] Sahih Muslim, 859 [42] Sahih Muslim, 4745

Christians often speak to us and say that we are the ones who have eternal life and we are the ones to whom Christ brought spiritual purity. I ask why there is not a single word in your book about physical purity. Isn’t physical purity a reflection of spiritual purity?

Islam came as our religion for everything, as it contains spiritual purity, which urges physical purity, both together. Listen to the hadith of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, as he says:

Ishaq bin Mansour told us, Habban bin Hilal told us, Aban told us, Yahya told us, that Zaid told him, that Abu Salam told him, on the authority of Abu Malik al-Ash’ari, who said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: Purity is half of faith, and praise be to God fills the scale, and glory be to God and praise be to God fill what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is light, and charity is proof, and patience is radiance, and the Qur’an is an argument for you or against you. Every person goes out in the morning and pledges allegiance to himself, either freeing him or destroying him.

Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah told us, Abu Muawiyah told us , on the authority of Al-A’mash, on the authority of Abu Salih, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said : The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: If one of you performs ablution and does it well, then comes to the mosque with nothing but prayer in mind, he will not take a step without God Almighty raising him a degree and removing a sin from him because of it until he enters the mosque.

Look at the compatibility between spiritual and physical purity. Their words go together in two parallel lines that never separate.

Let's look at Christianity

Purity in Christianity is not purity of hands, feet and body. That is cleanliness in the view of Christianity and does not rise to the level of purity because the term purity is a spiritual term.

The monk and the priest forgive their sins!! And their women are good for them !!!
And among Christians, there is no punishment in this world for anyone who commits adultery, sodomy, or drunkenness, nor any torment in the afterlife; because the priest and the monk forgive them. So whenever one of them commits a sin, he gives the priest a gift, or gives him money, or something else, so that he may forgive him !!

Do you not yet understand that whatever enters into the mouth goes into the stomach and is thrown out ? But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and these defile a man . For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies . These are what defile a man . But eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man.
Matthew 15-17

Do you not understand that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him? For it does not enter his heart but into his stomach, and then goes out into the toilet, and purifies all foods . Then he said, What comes out of a man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness . All these evil things come from within and defile a man .
Mark 7:18

The Christian sects believe that all of this is not obligatory, and that a person gets up from a woman’s stomach, urinates, and defecates, and does not touch water or clean himself with stones, and the urine and excrement run down his leg and thigh, and he prays like that, and his prayer is valid and complete, and if he defecates or urinates while he is praying, it does not harm him, let alone if he breaks his fast or farts, and they say: Prayer in a state of major ritual impurity, urine, and excrement is better than prayer in a state of purity, because then it is further from the prayer of the Muslims and the Jews, and closer to contradicting the two nations .

Mrs. Ray Tanahel

Even cleanliness was hated, for he who had been washed in Christ needed no bathing (p. 136, Sex in History and the text on Tertullian ).
“ The plague was more deadly among Christians than among Muslims and Jews, because cleanliness (Darlington pp. 300) was
not part of the Christian faith. As St. Jerome said, ‘He who has been washed in the blood of Christ needs no cleansing.’ The author comments, ‘But it seems that cleanliness of spirit did not help much in resisting the fleas that carried the plague .’”

A question in one of the Christian forums...

Is it permissible for a man to pray without taking a shower or purifying himself after having intercourse with his wife?
Is it permissible for a man not to take a shower after urinating or defecating?
Regardless of whether he does so before praying or before standing before God
, in general?

And this was the answer,
don't you understand yet ! ??
The first question: No, and it is also not recommended !
The second question: What does this have to do with Christianity???
Please,
in order not to have your topic closed or deleted, the questions here must be either real questions about Christianity and related to the Holy Bible

Glory be to God, does this not pertain to belief and prayer?

How can someone stand before God like this???

This is purification as taught by Christ.

22 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea, and there he remained with them and baptized .
4 He rose from supper and laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded himself with it. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded . 6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 “What I am doing you do not know now,” Jesus answered , “but you will understand later.” 8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said to him. “ If I do not wash you , you have no part with me,” Jesus answered . 9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” 10Jesus said to him , “ He who has washed does not need to wash except his feet, but he is clean entirely. And you are clean, but not all of you .” 11For he knew who would betray him, so he said, “You are not all clean .”
12 So when he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was sitting down again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am . 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet , you also ought to wash one another ’s feet . 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

The great disaster is that the Holy Book considers a woman’s menstruation and postpartum bleeding a sin that must be repented of, and there is nothing said about a woman purifying herself by washing herself, or as Lady Aisha said, following the traces of blood with musk. But if a Christian woman wants to purify herself from menstruation, she brings two doves or two pigeons to the priest to present before the Lord so that he may forgive her and purify her. Of course, if she does not find any, she can pay money and the priest will take care of it . Where is the washing? There is none. Where is the purification of the body from this corrupt blood? There is none. Only the bathroom is for the church and the money is for the church, and the purification takes place .

And when a woman menstruates, she shall be in her menstrual period for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. Whatever she lies on during her menstruation or sits on shall be unclean, and whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. And whoever touches anything on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. And whoever touches anything on the bed or on the thing on which she sits shall be unclean until the evening. And if a man has intercourse with her and something of her menstrual discharge comes upon him, he shall be unclean seven days. And every bed on which he lies shall become unclean . Leviticus 6:10 And on the eighth day thou shalt bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons unto the priest, to the entrance of the tent of meeting: and the priest shall offer one of them for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her in the presence of the LORD for her bleeding uncleanness.

And here are the last jokes of the season ( If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, she shall be unclean seven days, as in the days of her menstrual bleeding, she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall remain thirty-three days in the blood of her purification. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. And if she gives birth to a female, she shall be unclean two weeks , as in her menstruation. Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification sixty-six days . [Leviticus 12]

Also, the Christian prayer does not require purification or cleanliness. I want to ask you, O Christian, if you went to an important interview or to meet an important person or if this was your wedding day, would you remain unclean or unclean? If you say yes, then there is a word we say to those who hate cleanliness, but I will not say it . Your book states: [Exodus 40:30 ] , but they do not do it . So there is no blame on a Christian to pray to God and turn to Him in a state of impurity and ritual impurity .

After all this, will Christians continue to claim that purity is a spiritual matter??

Praise be to God for the blessing of Islam, and that is enough of a blessing

And our final supplication is that all praise is due to God, Lord of the World