Originally posted 2018-02-15 11:53:53.

There are many texts from the Qur’an and the Sunnah that place emphasis on cleanliness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a great attention to the cleanliness and purification of a Muslim. Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) paid visit to us, and saw a disheveled man whose hair was disordered. He said: “Could this man not find something to make his hair lie down?” He saw another man wearing dirty clothes and said: “Could this man not find something to wash his garments with”. (Abu Dawud)

By: Editorial Staff

Aspects of cleanliness in Islam:

1- One of the characteristics of Muslim men that make them gain the love of Allah

A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves. (At-Tawbah 9:108)   

2- Purification is an essential condition for many acts of worship such as Prayer and holding the Qur’an  

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah does not accept prayer of anyone of you if he does hadath (passes urine, stool or wind) till he performs the ablution (anew). (Al-Bukhari)

In a Register well-protected. None touch it except the purified. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:78-79)

3- Cleaning oneself after defecating or urinating

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Beware of (smearing yourselves with) urine, because it is the main cause of punishment in the grave”. (Ad-Daraqutni)

4- It is highly recommended Sunnah to bathe before going to Friday Prayer

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Anyone of you going out for the Friday prayer should take a bath”. (Al-Bukhari)

5- Islam makes cleanliness as half of faith

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith”. (Muslim)

6- Prohibition of sexual intercourse in menstruation

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, “It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves. (Al-Baqarah 2:222)

7- Obligation of ablution before prayer five times a day

Abu Hurairah said, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, “Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” They replied, “No soiling would left on him.” He (peace be upon him) said, ” That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.” (Agreed Upon)

8- Whoever preserves the cleanliness of his body will come on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: “On the Day of Resurrection, my followers (or Ummah) will be summoned ‘Al-Ghurr Al-Muhajjalun‘ from the traces of wudu’. Whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so.”  (Agreed Upon)

9- Islam exhorts the Purity and cleanliness of clothes

 And your clothing purify. (Al-Muddaththir 74:4)

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw man wearing dirty clothes he said: “Could this man not find something to wash his garments with.” (Abu Dawud)

10- Islam urges cleaning and purifying courtyards

Salih bin Abi Hassan said: “I heard Sa`id ibn Musayab saying: ‘Indeed Allah is Tayib (good) and he loves Tayib (what is good), and He is Nazhif (clean) and He loves cleanliness, He is Karim (kind) and He loves kindness, He is Jawad (generous) and He loves generosity. So your courtyards, and do not resemble the Jews.” (At-Tirmidhi)

11- Islam encourages cleaning the teeth

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The Miswak (tooth-stick) cleanses and purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord.” (An-Nasa’i)

12- Islam places emphasis  on the cleanliness of the place of prayer

Abu Hurairah said, A Bedouin stood up and started making water in the mosque. The people caught him but the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered them to leave him and to pour a bucket or a tumbler of water over the place where he had passed the urine. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “You have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult.” (Muslim)

13- Islam encourages its followers to wear beautiful clothes and put perfumes. 

 “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid…” (Al-`Araf 7:31)

The Messenger of Allah said: ‘In this world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my comfort has been provided in prayer.” (An-Nasa’i)

14- Islam encourages cleaning the roads

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The deeds of my people, good and bad, were presented before me, and I found the removal of harmful objects from the road among their good deeds.” (Muslim)

15- Islam encourages cleanliness before sleep

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whenever you go to bed, perform wudu’ as you do for prayer…” (Agreed Upon)

16- Islam encourages washing hands after meals and before sleep

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If anyone spends the night with grease on his hand which he has not washed away, he can blame only himself if some trouble comes to him”. (Abu Dawud)

17- Islam encourages rinsing the mouth after eating

Ibn `Abbas said, “Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) drank milk and then rinsed his mouth and said, “It contains fat.” (Al-Bukhari)

 18- Islam places emphasis on Muslims’ cleanliness obligations (Sunan Al-Fitrah)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Ten are the acts according to fitrah: clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, snuffing water in the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes and cleaning one’s private parts with water.” (Muslim)