Hygiene in Islam
Encyclopedia
Hygiene is a prominent topic in Islam. Islam
has always placed a strong emphasis on personal hygiene
. Other than the need to be ritually clean in time for the daily prayer (Arabic: Salah) through Wudu
and Ghusl
, there are a large number of other hygiene
-related rules governing the lives of Muslim
s. Other issues include the Islamic dietary laws
.
In general, the Qur'an
advises Muslims to uphold high standards of physical hygiene and to be ritually clean whenever possible. For this reason in Muslim countries, bathrooms are always equipped with a Muslim shower situated next to the toilet, so that an individual may wash themselves. This ablution
is required in order to maintain ritual cleanliness.,
Also because of ritual cleanliness, and again common to many Eastern cultures, Muslims take their shoes off when entering mosques and homes.
, meaning lawful. They are found in Qur'an, the holy book of Islam
, usually detailing what is unlawful, or harām
.
is also a matter of focus in Islam. Growing a beard
is accepted as Sunnah
and is seen as commendable by most authorities, but is only seen as mandatory
by a small minority.
through cleaning the teeth
with the use of a form of toothbrush
called miswak
is considered Sunnah
, the way of Prophet Muhammad
. Ritual ablution
is also very important, as observed by the practices of wudu
(partial ablution), ghusl
(full ablution), and tayammum
(water-free alternative with sand).
ic faith has particular rules regarding personal hygiene
when going to the toilet
. This code is known as Qadaahul Haajah.
Issues of laterality, such as whether one uses the left or right hand and the foot used to step into or out of toilet areas, are derived from hadith
sources. The only issue which the Qur'an
mentions is the one of washing one's hands especially following going to the toilet which is mentioned in verse 5:6.
Examples of these rules include, but are not limited to:
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
has always placed a strong emphasis on personal hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
. Other than the need to be ritually clean in time for the daily prayer (Arabic: Salah) through Wudu
Wudu
Wuḍhu is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers...
and Ghusl
Ghusl
Ghusl is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution required in Islam for various rituals and prayers. The ablution becomes mandatory for any adult Muslim after having sexual intercourse, any sexual discharge , completion of the menstrual cycle, giving birth, and death by natural causes.Islam...
, there are a large number of other hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
-related rules governing the lives of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s. Other issues include the Islamic dietary laws
Islamic dietary laws
Islamic dietary laws provide direction on what is to be considered clean and unclean regarding diet and related issues.-Overview:Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are ' and which are '...
.
In general, the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
advises Muslims to uphold high standards of physical hygiene and to be ritually clean whenever possible. For this reason in Muslim countries, bathrooms are always equipped with a Muslim shower situated next to the toilet, so that an individual may wash themselves. This ablution
Ritual purification
Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
is required in order to maintain ritual cleanliness.,
Also because of ritual cleanliness, and again common to many Eastern cultures, Muslims take their shoes off when entering mosques and homes.
Islamic dietary laws
Islamic dietary laws provide a set of rules as to what Muslims eat in their diet. These rules specify the food that is halālHalal
Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
, meaning lawful. They are found in Qur'an, the holy book of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, usually detailing what is unlawful, or harām
Haraam
Haraam is an Arabic term meaning "forbidden", or "sacred". In Islam it is used to refer to anything that is prohibited by the word of Allah in the Qur'an or the Hadith Qudsi. Haraam is the highest status of prohibition given to anything that would result in sin when a Muslim commits it...
.
Personal grooming
Personal groomingPersonal grooming
Personal grooming is the art of cleaning, grooming, and maintaining parts of the body. It is a species-typical behavior that is controlled by neural circuits in the brain.- In humans :...
is also a matter of focus in Islam. Growing a beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
is accepted as Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
and is seen as commendable by most authorities, but is only seen as mandatory
Fard
also is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty. The word is also used in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu in the same meaning....
by a small minority.
Islamic cleanliness
Cleanliness is an important part of Islam, including Qur'anic verses that teach how to achieve ritual cleanliness. Keeping Oral hygieneOral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
through cleaning the teeth
Tooth
Teeth are small, calcified, whitish structures found in the jaws of many vertebrates that are used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores, also use teeth for hunting or for defensive purposes. The roots of teeth are embedded in the Mandible bone or the Maxillary bone and are...
with the use of a form of toothbrush
Toothbrush
The toothbrush is an oral hygiene instrument used to clean the teeth and gums that consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles mounted on a handle, which facilitates the cleansing of hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. Toothpaste, which often contains fluoride, is commonly used in conjunction...
called miswak
Miswak
The miswak is a teeth cleaning twig made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree . It has a long, well-documented history and is reputed for its medicinal benefits...
is considered Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
, the way of Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Ritual ablution
Ritual purification
Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
is also very important, as observed by the practices of wudu
Wudu
Wuḍhu is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers...
(partial ablution), ghusl
Ghusl
Ghusl is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution required in Islam for various rituals and prayers. The ablution becomes mandatory for any adult Muslim after having sexual intercourse, any sexual discharge , completion of the menstrual cycle, giving birth, and death by natural causes.Islam...
(full ablution), and tayammum
Tayammum
Tayammum is the Islamic act of dry ablution using sand or dust, which may be performed in place of ritual washing if no clean water is readily available.-Circumstances when tayammum is necessary:...
(water-free alternative with sand).
Islamic toilet etiquette
The IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic faith has particular rules regarding personal hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
when going to the toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
. This code is known as Qadaahul Haajah.
Issues of laterality, such as whether one uses the left or right hand and the foot used to step into or out of toilet areas, are derived from hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
sources. The only issue which the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
mentions is the one of washing one's hands especially following going to the toilet which is mentioned in verse 5:6.
Examples of these rules include, but are not limited to:
- It is strongly forbidden to make the toilet close to the flowing waters, or to be by a flowing water whilst relieving yourself.
- It is more preferable to step into the bathroom area with left leg and step outside the bathroom area with right leg.
- One should remain silent whilst on the toilet. Talking, answering greetings or greeting others is heavily disliked.
- One should not face nor turn one's back on QiblaQiblaThe Qiblah , also transliterated as Qibla, Kiblah or Kibla, is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah...
whilst relieving yourself. - When leaving the toilet one should also say a prayer, "Praise be to Allah who relieved me of the filth and gave me relief."
- Use of toilet paperToilet paperToilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain personal hygiene after human defecation or urination. However, it can also be used for other purposes such as blowing one's nose when one has a cold or absorbing common spills around the house, although paper towels are more used for the latter...
is acceptable, but washing with waterAnal cleansingAnal cleansing is the hygienic practice of cleaning the anus after defecation.The anus and buttocks may be cleansed with toilet paper or similar paper products, especially in many Western countries. Elsewhere, water may be used...
is still needed for purity.
Further reading
- QaraḍāwĪ, Yūsuf, and Waseem Yaqub. Islamic Concept of Hygiene As Seen by the Sunnah. Cairo, Egypt: El-Falah Foundation, 1997. ISBN 9775813263.