IN his well researched articles, 'Squeaky clean' and 'Order of the bath' (Dawn Magazine, Aug 31 and Sept 7) Dr Mubarak Ali has effectively dilated on personal cleanliness and hygiene practised by various ancient civilisations.
He is right when he says that things worsened in the western world with the advent of Christianity, which considered acts of cleansing and bathing against the purity of soul and a sign of sexual perversion.
Dr Ali has, however, failed to do justice with his thesis as while dilating on the practices of cleanliness throughout civilisations, he has made only passing references as regards cleanliness Muslims practised, such as he says
“However, when the Crusaders went to Palestine to conquer the holy land and encountered the Arabs, who were very particular about cleanliness and washing their bodies”, and, “After fall of Andalusia some Muslim outwardly become Christian to save their lives but secretly continued to observer their previous religion rituals.
“However, to check on such activities church officials inspected certain people every Friday to check if they had taken a bath”.
It is Islam which gave cleanliness and personal hygiene topmost priority a part of not only social life but a religious duty for every Muslim.
To perform prayers, a Muslim has to make ablution by washing the exposed parts of his body five times a day.
Even the mode of ablution has been defined in Surah (56) “O you who believe! When you intend to offer prayer, wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles.
“If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. post-sexual relations), purify yourself (bathe your whole body)”.
In Islam, cleanliness and purification are not only usual requirements for the performance of worship, or when embracing Islam, (a new Muslim takes a full body shower when embracing Islam) but are part of a Muslim's very faith.
In Surah (2222) the Almighty said “Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers etc.)”.
Whereas the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said “Cleanliness is other half of the faith.”
The Prophet, who even before his prophethood was known for his purity and truthfulness, by practising this lofty virtue all through his life became an epitome of hygiene and purity for the Muslims for all times to come.
With the spread of Islam wherever Muslims went, they carried with them this exalted social phenomenon right from the shores of Atlantic to India; from the deserts of Arabia to the Central Asian steppes.
The injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah regarding cleanliness and hygiene practised by Muslims were subsequently adopted by the European nations, as has been rightly stated by Dr Ali.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
