The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, I991 

Guicting Light 

The Qur?m and the Sunnah on 
the CiviIization Vdue of Cleanliness 
Comments by Abduleamid A. AbUSulayr&in 

Translation 

h the mame of Ahkh, Most Gracious, 
Most Men@itl. 

1. And He it is Who sends 
The Winds as heralds 
Of gIad tidings, going before 
His Mercy, and We send down 
Pure water from the sky. 
A1 Furqtin (25:48) 

2. Remember He covered you 
With drowsiness, 
To give you calm as from 
Himself, and He caused 
Rain to descend on you 
From Heaven, to clean you 
Therewith, to r e m e  from you 
The S t a i n  of Satan, 
To strengthen your hearts, 
And to plant your feet 
Firmly therewith. 
A1 Anfar (8:U) 

3. 0 thou wrapped up 

AndthyLord 
Do thou magnify! 
M t h Y  garments 
Keepfreefromstain! 
And all abomination shun! 
A1 Muddahthir (74.9-5) 

(In a mantle)! 
Arise and deliver thy warning! 

4. 0 ye who believe! 
when Ye Prepare 
For prayer, wash 
Your w and your hands 
(And arms) to the elbows; 
Rub your heads (with water); 

ix 



X The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991 

And (wash) your feet 
To the ankles. 
If ye are in a state 
Of ceremonial impurity, 
Bathe your whole body. 
But if ye are ill, 
Or on a journey, 
Or one of you cometh 
From offices of nature, 
Or ye have been 
In contact with women, 
And ye find no water, 
Then take for yourselves 
Clean sand or earth, 
And rub therewith 
Your faces and hands. 
Allah doth not wish 
To place you in a difficulty, 
But to make you clean, 
And to complete 
His favour to you, 
That ye may be grateful. 
A1 MC’iahh (5:6) 

5. And they will ask thee about 
(woman’s) monthly courses. Say: “It 
is a vulnerable condition. Keep, 
therefore, aloof from women during 
their monthly courses, and do not 
draw near unto them until they are 
cleansed; and when they are 
cleansed, go in unto them as God 
has bidden you to do.” Verily, God 
loves those who turn unto Him in 
repentance, and He loves those who 
keep themselves pure. 
A1 Baqarah (2:222) 

( Y  Y Y : Y )  i$I 

In the above verses, the Qur’an speaks of cleanliness (&&irah) in a physical 
sense and also informs us that the rain water which Allah causes to fall from 
the sky is clean and meant for drinking and cleaning. 

In these verses, the Qur’an orders the Prophet and, by implication, the 
Muslims’to keep their clothes clean. Allah requires Muslims to clean those 
bodily parts which are usually exposed to dirt before their daily prayers. 
He commands them to bathe in order to cleanse their entire body after they 
sleep with their spouses. The Qur’an also requires Muslim women to cleanse 
their bodies through washing after their monthly periods. 



AbdulHamid AbuSulaymin 

6. Of their goods take alms, 
That so thou mightest 
Purify and sanctify them; 
And pray on their behalf. 
Verily thy prayers are a source 
Of security for them; 
And Allah is One 
Who heareth and knoweth. 
A1 Tawbah (9:103) 

7. Behold! the angels said: 
“0 Mary! Allah hath chosen thee 
And purified thee -chosen thee 
Above the women of all nations.” 
A1 ‘ImrCn (3:42) 

8. 0 Messenger! let not 
Those grieve thee, who race 
Each other into Unbelief 
(Whether it be) among those 
Who say: “We believe” 
With their lips but 
Whose hearts have no faith; 
Or it be among the Jews- 
Men who will listen 
To any lie-will listen 
Even to others who have 
Never so much as come 
To thee. They change the words 
From their (right) times 
And places: they say, 
“If ye are given this, 
Take it, but if not, 
Beware!” If any one’s trial 
Is intended by Allah, thou hast 
No authority in the least 
For him against Allah. 
For such-it is not 
Allah’s will to purify 
Their hearts. For them 
There is disgrace 
In this world, and 
In the Hereafter 
A heavy punishment. 
A1 Mii’iaizh (5:41) 

9. 0, Consorts of the Prophet! 
Ye are not like any 
Of the (other) women: 
If ye do fear (Allah), 

Guiding Light xi 



xii The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991 

Be not too complaisant 
Of speech, lest one 
In whose heart is 
A disease should be moved 
With desire: but speak ye 
A speech (that is) just. 
And stay quietly in 
Your houses, and make not 
A dazzling display, like 
That of the former Times 
Of Ignorance; and establish 
Regular Prayer, and give 
Regular Charity; and obey 
Allah and His Messenger. 
And Allah only wishes 
To remove all abomination 
From you, ye Members 
Of the Family, and to make 
You pure and spotless. 
A1 @z& (33:32-33) 

10. 0 ye who beiieve? 
Intoxicants and gambling, 
(Dedication of) stones, 
And (divination by) arrows, 
Are an abomination- 
Of Satan's handiwrk; 
Eschew such (abomination), 

Satan's plan is (but) 
To excite enmity and hatred 
Between you, with intoxicants 
And gambling, and hinder you 
From the remembrance 
Of Allah, and from prayer 
Will ye not then abstain? 
Al Mii'idah (5:95)-91) 

That Ye may p"SPer. 

In these verses, the Qur'an is now pealung of moral and spiritual cieanliiss 
and purity. These verses show how, in both a spiritual and moral sense, good 
deeds clean and purify the human being. In the last verse mentioned above, 
the Qur'an uses the word rijs (filth) to describe spiritual and moral impurity, 
which gives the concept of e r a b  (purity) a wider and deeper meaning to 
encompass the inner and outer as well as physical, moral, and spiritual 
cleanliness and purity. 



Guiding Light 
... 

XI11 

11. We also (sent) Lfit.: 
He said to his people: 
“Do ye commit lewdness 
Such as no people 
In creation (ever) committed 
Before you? 
For ye practice your lusts 
On men in preference 
To women: Ye are indeed 
A people transgressing 
Beyond bounds.” 
And his people gave 
No answer but this: 
They said, “Drive them out 
Of your city; these are 
Indeed men who want 

But We saved him 
And his family, except 
His wife: she was 
Of those who lagged behind. 
And we rained down on them 
A shower (of brimstone): 
Then see what was the end 
Of those who indulged 
i n  sin and crime! 
A1 A’rif (7230-84) 

To be clean and pure!” 

12. (We also sent) L i t  
(As a messenger): behold, 
He said to his people, 
“Do ye do what is shameful 
Though ye see (its iniquity)? 
Would ye really approach men 
In your lusts rather than 
Women? Nay, ye are 
A people (grossly) ignorant! 
But his people gave 
No other answer but this: 
They said, “Drive out 
The followers of Liit from 
Your city: these are 
Indeed men who want 
To be clean and pure!” 
But We saved him 
And his family, except 
His wife: her We destined 
T o b e o f t h o s e  
Who lagged behind. 
And We rained down on them 



xiv The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991 

A shower (of brimstone): 
And evil was the shower 
On those who were admonished 
(But heeded not)! 
A1 Naml (27.54-58) 

13. When Our Messengers 
Came to Lut., he was 
Grieved on their account 
And felt himself powerless 
(To Protect) them. He said: 
“This is a distressful day.“ 
And his people came 
Rushing towards him, 
And they had been long 
In the habit of practicing 
Abominations. He said: 
“0 my people! Here are 
My daughters; they are purer 
For you (if ye marry)! 
Now fear Allah, and cover me not 
With shame about my guests! 
Is there not among you 
A single right-minded man?” 
They said: “Well dost thou 
Know we have no need 
Of thy daughters: indeed 
Thou knowest quite well 
What we want!” 
He said: “Would that I 
Had power to suppress you 
Or that I could betake 
Myself to some powerful support.” 
(The Messengers) said: “0 Liit) 
We are Messengers from thy Lord! 
By no means shall they 
Reach thee! Now travel 
With thy family while yet 
A part of the night remains, 
And let not any of you 
Look back: but thy wife 
(Will remain behind): 
To her will happen 
What happens to the people. 
Morning is their time appointed: 
Is not the morning nigh?” 
When Our decree issued, 
We turned (the cities) 
Upside down, and rained down 



‘AbdulHamid AbiiSulayman 

On them brimstones 
Hard as baked clay, 
Spread, layer on layer- 
Marked from thy Lord: 
Nor are they ever far 
From those who do wrong! 
Hid (11:77-83) 

14. Remember We made the House 
A place of assembly for men 
And a place of safety; 
And take ye the Station 
Of Abraham as a place 
Of prayer; and We covenanted 
With Abraham and Ismri’il 
That they should sanctify 
My House for those who 
Compass it round, or use it 
As a retreat, or how, or 
Prostrate themselves (therein 
In prayer). 
A1 Baqarah (2:125) 

15. “O! thou wrapped up 
(In a mantle)! 
Arise and deliver thy warning! 
And thy Lord 
Do thou magnify! 
And thy garments 
Keep free from stain! 
And all abomination shun! 
Nor expect, in giving, 
Any increase (for thyself)! 
But, for the Lord’s (Cause) 
Be patient and constant. 
A1 Muddnththir (74:l-7) 

Guiding Light xv 

We find in the above verses that the Qur’an speaks of cleanliness and 
purity in a physical, moral, and spiritual sense. This is made clear in the 
case of the physical deviation, spiritual abomination, and the moral pollution 
of homosexuality of Liics people. In the same sense, the Qur’an speaks of 
keeping mosques and places of worship clean. Cleanliness here is both moral- 
spiritual and physical. 

The Qur’an combines and relates the physical and spiritual dimensions. 
In the above verses, we find the Qur’an speaking of the time when the Pro- 
phet was called upon to begin delivering the message of Allah to his people. 
In order for him to do this, he must first be clean, both physically and spiritual- 



xvi The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991 

ly, which Allah informs him of in one verse. Allah orders the Prophet to 
keep his outer and physical appearance clean (i.e., keep his clothing clean) 
and then tells him to keep his inner and spiritual self clean by getting rid 
of and thereafter avoiding all wmngful, sinful, and filthy qualities. 

As for Iiifs people and their homosexuality, the Qur‘an speaks of clean- 
h e s s  in a way that combines both physical and spiritual cleanliness. The 
Qur’an describes their acts and behavior as wicked (suyyWz) and as a trans- 
gression (f&shuh). Despite the sin which surrounded Liit and his family, 
they kept themselves pure or clean (yafakhariin). Here, purity and cleanliness 
is both spiritual and physical. 

Tirmi&- narrated that Sa‘ad ibn Abii Waqqis reported that the Prophet 
said: “Allah is good and loves good things; (Allah is) clean (and) loves 
cleanliness (rm&i@); (Allah is) charitable (and) loves charity; (Allah is) 
generous (and) loves generosity. Clean the yards of your homes and the open 
spaces and (in this manner) do not behave like the Jews.” 

InGm Muslim narrated that Abii Miisi al Ash’ari relates that the Prophet 
said: “Cleanliness (?ahiir) is the other half of faith (Tmiin).” 

Abii =wid and al Nasa’i narrated that Jiibir ibn Abd All& said that 
the Messenger of Allah saw an unpresentable person (mhirth) and said: “Could 
not this (person) find something with which to keep his hair orderly and 
presentable (yusakkin)? Could not this (person) find something with which 
to wash his clothes?” 

Tirmih- reports that the Prophet said: “There are five innate acts urn): 
removing one’s pubic hair   is ti^, circumcision, trimming one’s moustache, 
removing one’s underarm hair, and trimming one’s nails.” 

Al BukhiirT narrated that Abii Sa‘id al Khudri reported that the Prophet 
said: “Bathing on Friday is an obligation (wiijib) for all Muslims who have 
attained puberty.” 

Tirmidh- and Abii Diwiid narrated that Salmin said: “I have read in 
the Torah that the blessing of food is to wash ( d i i ’ )  after it. When I told 
the Prophet what I had read, he said: ‘The blessing of food is washing before 
it and washing after it.’” 

ImiZm Muslim related that Abii Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah 
saw some phlegm at the mosque’s qibluh. He turned to the people and asked: 
What kind of person would stand facing his Lord and spit phlegm in front 
of Him? M u l d  anyone like someone to face him and have phlegm spat in 
his h e ? ”  

Al BukhM, Tinnidhi, and N a d i  narrated that Umm aI Mu’minTn ‘xishah 
said the Pmphet said: “Brushing the teeth (siwiik) purifies the mouth and 

The above traditions and many others emphasize the importance of 
cleanliness and go into great detail regarding the different aspects of personal 

pIeases the Lord.” 



Guiding Light xvii 

and environmental h d t h  and cleanliness. No doubt these traditions sharpen 
the Muslim's sense of physical cleanliness. 

Al Bukhk- and Alpad narrated that Ibn A M s  said that once the Pro- 
phet passed by two graves. He said: "They are suffering punishment, but 
not because of a major sin (kablmh) . One is being punished for not cleansing 
himself after urination (yastanzih), and the other is being punished for 
spreading sIanderous comments and misinformation among people." 

InGm Miilik in his al Muwz@u'narrated that the Pmphet said: Whenever 
defalcation and embezzlement of public funds and trust (ghultil) become 
widespread and common among a people, fear will be thrown into their hearts. 
Whenever adultery (zinii') [al H&im narrated in his alMustadrek that f Z h a h ,  
which covers all kinds of sexual deviation in addition to both adultery and 
homosexuality3 spreads wideIy and openly @h5) in a people, death would 
greatly increase. Whenever people cheat in weighing and measuring (in com- 
mercial deals), their prosperity will cease. Whenever people rule unjustly, 
bloodshed (killing) will spread among them. Whenever people habitudly 
do not fulfill their pledges (commitments), Allah will make their enemy prevail 
over them." 

Ibn M5jah narrated a similar tradition which describes the phenomenon 
of fZishah in more detail: ". . .whenever deviant sexual behavior (i.e., homo- 
sexuality and adultery) spreads widely and openly, such a people will be 
cursed because of it and a plague (widespread mysterious death) and diseases 
(mjii') which were not known to their ancestors will spread widely among 
them.. ." 

In the above traditions, we see that the Sunnah follws the same Qur'anic 
line of approach, for it addresses cleanliness from all aspects-spiritual, moral, 
and physicd. h i i n  relates to inner and outer cleanliness. The absence of 
physicd cleanliness due to urination is as bad a sin as the moral and spiritual 
impurity caused by s p d i n g  slanderous comments and misinformation. Both 
homosexuality and adultery are morally, spiritually, and physicdy filthy and 
thus Iead to physical, moral, and physical harm and diseases. 

h i m  Muslim narrated that Umm al Mu'minin '&shah said: "The Mes- 
senger of Mah prohibited (Muslims) from drinking from the mouths of water 
skins or drinking pots (siqii') because it gives them a bad smell and causes 
them to rot and decay (ytmtin). 

h i m  Muslim related that Abti Qatildah said: "The Prophet prohibited 
(Muslims) from breathing back into their drinking and eating utensils." 

Imim Muslim also reported that J5bir ibn A M  All* related that the 
Prophet said: "Cover your food utensils and tie your water skin. There is 
one night every year during which a plague spreads Oumzil). It Mls into 
every uncovered utensil or untied water skin." 

Al Bukhki and h k n  Muslim narrated that A M  al Rdpnh ibn 'Awf 



xviii The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991 

reported that the Prophet said: “If a plague spreads in an area where you 
are staying, do not leave and run away from it. If you hear that it is spreading 
in certain areas, do not go to it.” 

Five of the six major hadith collections narrate that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar 
said: “I heard the Prophet, when he asked about water in open places from 
which wild animals have drunk, say: ‘If the water measures two qulluh (big 
size water-skins), it is not filthy.”’ 

A1 Bukhlri narrated that U r n .  a1 Mu’minin Maymiinah said: ‘A mouse 
fell into some ghee and died. When the Prophet was asked about it, he said: 
‘Throw it and what is around it away, and then use the rest.” Ahmad and 
a1 Nasa’i added “in solid ghee.” 

A1 Bukhlri also narrated that Anas said: “A man came to the Prophet 
and said: ‘0 Messenger of Allah. The donkeys are eaten.’ The Prophet kept 
silent. Then the man came a second time and said: ‘The donkeys are eaten,’ 
and the Prophet kept silent. Then the man came a third time and said: ‘The 
donkeys have perished.’ The Prophet orderd a man to call out to people and 
say that ‘Allah and His Messenger prohibit you from eating domesticated 
donkeys.”’ In another narration, it is related as: “It is filth (rijs). The cooking 
pots were spilled while boiling the meat.” The term rijs is mentioned here 
because it is possibly spiritually and morally wrong to eat donkey meat, since 
it is not in the interests of the Muslims to continue to eat it. 

Abii Dlwiid narrated that Ibn Ghllib said: “0 Messenger of Allah. We 
are hit with drought. I have nothing to feed my family except fat domesticated 
donkeys, and you have prohibited the eating of domesticated donkeys.” The 
Prophet said: “Feed your family except from your fat domesticated donkeys.” 

A1 Bukhlri and Muslim narrated that the Prophet said: “If it would not 
cause my people (ummah) difficulty, I would have ordered them to brush 
their teeth at every time of prayer.” 

In all of the verses and traditions quoted above and many others spread 
throughout in the Qur’an and the books of hadith, there are a few important 
lessons: 

1. There are many issues which scientists and social scientists should 
study and analyze, such as the meaning of cleanliness, the ways and 
means to achieve and enhance the sense and practice of cleanliness -the 
inner and outer dimensions as well as spiritual, moral, and physical 
cleanliness. 

2. The Prophet was very concerned about cleanliness in all of its aspects 
and provided attainable ways and means for people without any 
scientific knowledge to achieve a remarkable standard of health and 
cleanliness. 

3. The Prophet was fully aware of the effect of unhealthy personal and 



AbdulHamid AbfiSulaymh Guiding Light xix 

environmental practices which destroy health and spread infectious 
diseases. 

4. The directives of the Qur’an and Sunnah are comprehensive and 
civilizational and develop the sense of maintaining good health and 
a beautiful and healthy environment. 

5. The directions of the Prophet provide all necessary and possible funda- 
mental principles and basic means to provide all possible means of 
protection for the people. 

6. Comparing the Qur’an’s and the Sunnah’s approach to health and clean- 
liness with the juristic approach, it is clear that both sources use an 
approach which is civilizational and comprehensive, one which 
addresses the issues of purity, good health, and a beautiful and clean 
environment. The juristic approach, on the other hand, is in many 
ways formal, static, and ritualistic. It also in many ways waters down 
the civilizational aspect to the point where it becomes possible for 
committed Muslims who are regular in their prayers and maintain 
the juristic rituals of cleanliness (tukruh) to be lacking in the civiliza- 
tional sense of cleanliness. This appears in their personal practice, 
appearance, and environment so much so that it is not surprising to 
find the washing areas in those mosques which are usually attended 
by “the good Muslims” unclean. 

7. When browsing through books of jurisprudence, the narrow, static, 
and formalistic approach (especially of the later and contemporary 
jurists) becomes very clear. These works are mere repetitions of texts 
written over a thousand years ago. No trace of the vast amount of 
scientific information connected with health and protection against 
deadly and infectious diseases can be found in even the most recent 
works. 

8. The works of fiqh represent the historical manuals of Muslim educa- 
tion. Unfortunately, an educational approach or presentation is not 
found in these works; the contemporary works are purely legal and 
formal manuals deepening the secular separation of the religious and 
juristic from the worldly and scientific. 

In conclusion, it is important for the Muslim religious scholars, social 
scientists, and intellectuals to recapture the civilizational aspects of Islam. 
They have to provide and establish the shurutic (consultative) dynamic institu- 
tions of Islamic legislation and ijtihad (Islamic creative thinking) and put 
an end to the secular approach towards life now found in the Muslim coun- 
tries by integrating, utilizing, and addressing relevant contempomy knowledge, 
ways and means, and issues. 

Muslim religious scholars, scientists, and intellectuals have to rewrite 
our fiqh manuals and make sure that our new manuals recapture our Islamic 
civilizational and educational needs.