[Derived from the contents of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s works Al-Bayan and Meezan]
The human body is the primary manifestation of one’s existence. Its purity and cleanliness are inherent in human nature. Since humanity’s inception on earth, the practice of maintaining cleanliness has been performed without external pressure, purely based on an inner inclination. This is why bathing, washing, cleaning away dirt and grime from the body, cleansing various bodily excretions, and grooming hair have been an innate aspect of human behavior since the very beginning. No era or region of human society has been devoid of these practices. They have been equally prevalent in every tribe, nation, country, and civilization, and they operate as a general code of conduct. A significant component of cultural and civilizational evolution is the effort to adopt better methods for keeping the body clean. Essentially, this represents an expression of the purity that Allah has endowed within human nature. From Prophet Adam (PBUH) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), all the prophets have deemed bodily cleanliness mandatory and have prescribed certain specific practices for it. These injunctions for bodily purification were practiced in Arabia as part of the Abrahamic religious tradition before the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). He endorsed and approved them, thus establishing them in religion as acts of Sunnah.
Among these instructions, one is to keep the moustache trimmed; the second is to shave the pubic hair; the third is to clean the armpit hair; the fourth is to cut the grown nails; and the fifth is the circumcision of boys. The Prophet (PBUH) has described these as the natural practices and, given their importance for purification and cleanliness, regarded them as an essential part of the faith. The guidance is:
Five things are part of natural disposition: circumcision, shaving pubic hair, trimming the mustache, cutting long nails, and cleaning the armpit hair. (Sahih Bukhari No. 5891)
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi has clarified that the purpose of these religious injunctions is the purification and cleansing of the body. He writes:
These five things are related to etiquette. Large mustaches create a kind of arrogant impression in a person’s appearance. Moreover, while putting food and drink in the mouth, they can also become contaminated. Long nails not only gather dirt but also give a semblance of similarity to wild animals. Thus, it has been instructed that mustaches be trimmed and long nails be cut. The rest of the things are necessary for bodily cleanliness. The Prophet (PBUH) was so committed to these that for some, he prescribed a specific time limit. (Meezan 644)
The sixth matter is the cleanliness of the nose, mouth, and teeth. The Prophet (PBUH) was so diligent about the cleanliness of teeth that he said:
ۃ.ك مع کل صلٰوی أمتي ألمرتہم بالسوالوْل أن أشق عل
If I did not think that I would put my Ummah into hardship, I would command them to clean their teeth at every prayer time.
(Sahih Bukhari No. 887)
The religion aims to inculcate a sense of purity and cleanliness among individuals, and in accordance with this requirement, the Prophet (PBUH) emphasized the cleanliness of the nose and mouth as part of the Sunnah. The traditions of his ablution which have been conveyed to the community indicate that on every occasion of ablution, he took great care to perform madhmadah and istinshaq, meaning he would rinse his mouth with water and cleanse his nose by putting water into it.
The seventh matter pertains to the cleansing of the bodily orifices used for urination and defecation, an act termed istinjā in Islamic jurisprudence. This practice is also among the religious obligations that the Prophet (PBUH) instituted and observed as a part of his Sunnah.
The eighth, ninth, and tenth things are different forms of bathing (ghusl). These include the ghusl after menstruation and postnatal bleeding, ghusl after sexual impurity, and the bathing of the deceased. It is obligatory for women that after menstruation and postnatal bleeding, when the bleeding stops, they should perform ghusl and attain purification. The Qur’an has also emphasized this practice. In Surah Al-Baqarah, it is stated:
وَ يَسۡـــَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡمَحِيۡضِۙ قُلۡ هُوَ اَذًى فَاعۡتَزِلُوۡا النِّسَآءَ فِى الۡمَحِيۡضِۙ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوۡهُنَّ حَتّٰى يَطۡهُرۡنَۚ فَاِذَا تَطَهَّرۡنَ فَاۡتُوۡهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ اَمَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِيۡنَ وَيُحِبُّ الۡمُتَطَهِّرِيۡنَ
And [now that the issue of marriage has been raised,] they ask you about the menstruation [of women]. Say: It is a kind of impurity. Therefore, keep away from women during their menstrual periods and do not approach them until they are in a state of purity; then when they are clean after having a bath, approach them from where God has enjoined you [about it]. Surely, God loves those who repent and those who keep themselves clean. (2:222)
After intimacy, it is prescribed for the couple to perform a ritual bath. The purpose of this is also to attain purity. The ritual washing of the deceased is an excellent example of the concept of purity. When a person’s earthly remains are offered to God by placing them in the grave, they are encouraged to be washed with full diligence at that time. This practice indicates the importance of acquiring purity and its psychological significance in religion. Javed Ahmed Ghamidi writes regarding the ritual washing of the deceased:
This washing is also among the practices of the Prophets (peace be upon them). Although its requirement is fulfilled by pouring water thoroughly over the body, given the importance of purification and cleanliness in religion, the deceased should, as far as possible, be given a full and proper washing. On one occasion, the instructions given by the Prophet (PBUH) for this are as follows:
اغسلنها ثلثًا أو خمسًا أو أكثر من ذلك، إن رأيتن ذلك بماء وسدر، واجعلن في اْلٰخرة كافورًا او شيئًا من كافور .
Give her (the girl) a bath threetimes or five times, or if deemed appropriate, even more times, with water and lotus leaves. And in the final bath, add camphor or said that also include some camphor in the water. (Sahih Bukhari No. 1258)
الوضوء ومواضع بمیامنہا ابدأن ،أوسبعًا أوخمسًا ثالثًا: وترًا اغسلنہا منہا.
Give this (girl) a bath an odd number of times: three or five or seven times, and start with the right side and with those limbs that are washed in ablution. (Sahih Bukhari No. 1254)
These are the comprehensive rules for the purification of the body. Religion has not included them in the category of permissible and forbidden. Their nature is that of customs and etiquettes. These customs and etiquettes have been prescribed keeping in view the religious objective of the purification of the soul. In view of this objective, they hold extraordinary importance in religion. The prophets, peace be upon them, have emphasized their observance and have urged their followers to adhere to them. Most of these customs were prevalent in Arabia before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He adopted them and established them as a tradition in the Muslim community. My esteemed teacher has also discussed these etiquettes of body purification under the title “Customs and Etiquettes“ in his book Meezan, along with some other customs and etiquettes. In their introduction, he has written:
The aspects of human civilization that are highlighted by the ways of living and the manifestations of culture are termed ‘customs and etiquettes.’ No era of human society has been devoid of these customs and etiquettes. We observe them as being uniformly prevalent and established as a common custom in every tribe, nation, and civilization. The identity of nations and peoples is mostly established in contrast to one another through these very means. The religions brought by the Prophets, peace be upon them, also bind their followers to certain customs and etiquettes. The purpose of religion is the purification of the soul; thus, these customs and etiquettes of religion are also determined with this purpose in mind. When the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), was sent, most of these were prevalent in Arabia as the tradition of the Abrahamic religion. Apart from a few things, he did not add to them. These precede the Qur’an and hold the status of a Sunnah, which, after the approval and endorsement by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), has been transmitted to the Muslim community through the consensus of the Companions and continual practice. Their source is now the consensus of the Muslim community, and based on this, they are accepted as religion throughout the entire Muslim community everywhere.
(642)