Being clean, neat, and pure is a habit that every person should have, and Islam emphasizes it greatly. The Quran states that Allah loves cleanliness and purity, so this small principle is very important. Whatever Allah likes and commands, it becomes necessary for us to follow.
A common issue is that many people cannot differentiate between clean and dirty. Dirty clothes are those covered in dust or dirt, while normal work clothes that get slightly dusty during daily activities are fine, but should be cleaned before performing prayers or any religious act. On the other hand, impurity (napaki) prevents a person from performing any religious act, as it is not accepted in worship. Impurity refers to anything that carries filth on the body, which must be cleaned. Today, we will discuss this topic in detail.
Clean Body & Clothes
First and foremost, the most important and essential thing is to keep your body and clothes clean, which is obligatory for all of us. Cleanliness is half of faith, and without it, a good life is not possible. If a person remains physically dirty and unclean, they are not only physically impure but also emotionally and mentally affected; their intentions and mental state tend to become negative. On the other hand, a person who keeps themselves clean and pure stays mentally peaceful and calm. The key point is that Islam has not specifically mandated how many times one should bathe weekly or daily; cleanliness means maintaining hygiene and purity in general. When we stay clean and tidy, our environment feels better, and our intentions remain pure, avoiding negative or harmful things. Taking care of oneself, including avoiding wasteful spending, is something Allah greatly appreciates.
Prayer (Salah) is obligatory, and it also has thirteen requirements, two of which are related to having a clean body and clean clothes. This shows how important cleanliness is. Therefore, we should make an effort to bathe at least 2–3 times, wear clean clothes, and avoid wearing the same set of clothes for more than three days, whether in summer or winter. Let us resolve from today to keep our bodies and clothes clean and pure.
Why we Should keep Our Home Clean?
Secondly, it is also very important that along with keeping our body and clothes clean, we keep our home—where we live—clean and tidy. Allah Almighty has not only commanded us to keep ourselves clean and pure, but He has also made it our responsibility to keep the place where we live, work, and the environment around us clean.
Among us, it is commonly said that even a dog cleans the place before sitting there; we are not directly comparing humans to animals, but the meaning is that if an animal without understanding takes care of cleanliness, then humans—who have intellect and awareness—do not need to be reminded. We should take care of cleanliness ourselves.
Another important point is that keeping the home clean is not only the duty of women; men can and should also do it, and there is nothing shameful in this. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ used to help with household work willingly and encouraged us to do the same. Similarly, outside the home—whether it is the place where we work, study, or move around—we should keep those places clean as well. Insha’Allah, if we make cleanliness a common habit, our society will surely progress.
We Should Clean Our Mosque
The third and very important duty is that along with keeping our home clean, we should also keep Allah’s house—the mosques—clean and tidy. It is not obligatory on every person to clean every mosque in the world, but the mosque in our street or neighborhood, where we regularly offer prayers, it is our responsibility to keep it clean. The mosque is Allah’s house, and His worship is performed there, so taking care of its cleanliness is even more necessary.
The mosque should always be kept pure and clean, because acts of worship like prayer, zakat, and recitation of the Quran are performed there, and there can be no compromise in these matters. Many people think that only the mosque’s caretaker or imam is responsible for cleanliness, but this is completely wrong. Whoever gets the opportunity among us should contribute in this work.
Along with this, we should maintain good relations with the mosque’s imam and khateeb, and help in the construction or any other needs of the mosque as much as we can. Insha’Allah, Allah will reward us with great blessings and grant us palaces in Jannah.
Clean Heart & Intensions
At the end, one more important matter related to cleanliness is that we should keep our hearts clean and pure. We should keep our intentions positive, think no evil for anyone, and not even intend harm for others. We have already written about this in post https://noorulilmonlinequranacademy.com/how-to-give-respect-to-elders/
Just as our body and clothes should be clean and pure, in the same way our character should also be good and noble, with good manners and soft behavior. When a person appears one way outwardly but is something else inwardly, this is called hypocrisy.
Therefore, whenever we deal with anyone, we should do so with good manners and positive behavior. Insha’Allah, in this way we will be successful in both this world and the Hereafter.