If you go long enough without a bath even the fleas will leave you alone, cautions Naba Basar.
Among your friends you must have noticed that there are some who carry a clean and crisp look coming to school. Since it takes all kinds of people to make this world, there are also some who come to school without even washing their faces.
In the Quran, Allah commands the believers to be clean and to keep away from dirt. Those who do not practice the morality of the Quran, as in everything else, fall into this sorry state. Believers’ bodies, food, clothing, and the place where they live are always spotless and well-ordered. They try to make every place resemble the purity of Paradise. As Allah says in the Quran: “You who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided for you…” (Al-Baqarah 2:172)
In another place Allah commands: “Purify your clothes. Shun all filth.” (Al-Muddaththir 74:4-5)
So, what do believers have to do? Simple! Allah created water, which is a great blessing and is a reason for us to be thankful to Allah. We may begin by washing our hands and face when we get up in the morning and taking a shower. The Quran tells us: “…[He] sent you down water from heaven to purify you and remove the taint of Satan from you, and to fortify your hearts and make your feet firm.” (Al-Anfal 8:11)
You may be spooked to know that besides the two angels who maintain a record of our deeds, Allah has also assigned one devil along each one of us. This devil is a cause of all trials and temptations for us. His strategies are quite devious. Allah warns human beings, that the devil, makes dirtiness look pleasant and tries to prevent them from cleaning themselves.
He may try to make us put off brushing our teeth after a meal or taking regular showers by making it seem like too much trouble. Even if such occasional slips do not bring serious consequences, over time they may be damaging to a person’s health and appearance. And this is exactly what Satan wants. He resents human beings and tries to drag them to Hell, and he really wants to see them living in filth.
Some kids are temperamental and are driven by their mood swings. They may be clean and presentable in parties, but the rest of the time they look scruffy. One wonders, how do they regard cleanliness? Well, they are very different in their aims and intentions from those who believe in Allah. Their aim is to look good and not be criticized by others, but they do not think of pleasing Allah by cleaning themselves.
But to a believer, it is more important to please Allah and to obey His command. Eventually he looks cool to others as well, who appreciate him for his neat and tidy appearance. So there really is no point in looking cool by gelling ones hair and powdering our faces if we do not practice basic hygiene consistently. This may include:
- Observing dental care and cleanliness
- Taking daily showers
- Washing ourselves properly following every call of nature
- Performing Wudhu calmly and gracefully prior to prayers
- Wearing clean and tidy clothes
- Checking ourselves for unpleasant odours
- Keeping our rooms filth-free
- Not leaving around left over food in our room
- Emptying our dustbins daily
- Keeping our dustbins closed
- Not littering outside our house
- Not throwing garbage on the roads
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