Cleanliness takes you closer to God

ABU DHABI // Keeping yourself, your surroundings and your heart clean and pure at all times is a key aspect of Islam and draws you closer to God, worshippers will hear today.

The link between external and internal purity can be found in the Quran’s second chapter: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqara: 222)

In the same regard, Prophet Mohammed referred to the connection when he said: “Purity is half of faith.”

Cleanliness is a key component of one of the Islam’s pillars through the requirement of followers to perform wudu (ablution) five times a day before prayers and should be ever present in a Muslim’s daily routine.

Through a Hadith, the Prophet illustrates that by being clean, one will fulfil half of the demands of faith because faith purifies the inner soul, wudu removes sins, and water cleanses the clothes and body.

“If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would there be any dirt left on him?” the Prophet asked his companions.

They said: “Not a trace of dirt would be left.”

The Prophet said: “That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds.”

Taking great care of his cleanliness the Prophet washed his hands after having a meal and before going to bed.

Another of his traditions was to perform wudu before going to bed.

“Purify these bodies, may Allah purify you, for there is no servant of Allah who spends the night in a state of purification except an angel spends the night with him,” he said.