Everyday Fiqh: Cleanliness, Worship and the Five Pillars

What Fiqh Is

Imaan, faith, is the greatest gift Allah gives a person, and it has to be looked after carefully, right through to death. Living out that faith means obeying Allah in the acts of worship we perform every day: salaah, fasting, zakaat, hajj and the rest.

Without knowing the correct laws for these acts, it is easy to perform them incorrectly without realising it. This is exactly what fiqh exists to prevent, and it is why the four great Imaams of fiqh are remembered with such gratitude: their work makes it possible for an ordinary Muslim to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, correctly rather than by guesswork.

Cleanliness Is Half of Faith

Cleanliness means keeping both yourself and your surroundings clean and organised: your body, your clothes, your home and your shared spaces. It also means staying free of najis, ritual impurity, the clearest examples of which are urine, stool, vomit and blood.

The Qur'an teaches that Allah loves those who purify themselves (Surah at-Tawbah, 9:108), and a well known hadith states plainly that cleanliness is half of Imaan. Muslims are taught to be clean and neat at all times, not only because Allah loves it, but because the people around us, our families and our community, notice and are affected by it too.

Everyday Care at Home

A clean home is a home Allah is pleased with, and the people who live in it are happier for it too.

1. Keep your home neat and clean at all times.
2. Put dirt in the bin. Do not leave it under furniture, on the floor, or throw it out of a window.
3. Put belongings away after using them: clothes, shoes, bags and books, especially after coming home from being out.
4. Store the Qur'an and other Islamic books carefully so they do not get lost or damaged.
5. Do not keep a dog inside the home. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught that the angels do not enter a home where there is a dog.

Manners in a Shared Learning Space

A place where Islam is taught deserves to be kept clean and beautiful, and that is not only the job of whoever cleans it. Everyone who uses the space can help: pick up litter rather than walking past it, and gently remind others not to leave it behind in the first place.

1. Throw any litter you see into the bin.
2. Leave the toilets and wudhu area as you would want to find them: hang towels back on the rail, close every tap fully, and flush after use.
3. Take care not to damage shared charts, notices or materials; they belong to everyone who uses the space.

Manners in a Shared Classroom

A classroom used by many people over the course of a week only stays pleasant to learn in if everyone treats it that way.

1. Put litter and loose paper scraps in the bin, not around it.
2. Keep your seat and your belongings tidy while class is in session.
3. Do not write on desks, walls or shared furniture.
4. Pack your things away neatly before you leave.
5. Treat the Qur'an and any Islamic books with particular care: keep them off the floor, store them properly, and never write or draw in them. Doing so is disrespectful toward Allah's words.

Bathroom Habits

1. Leave the bathroom clean after bathing or making wudhu.
2. Check there is no water left on the floor. Someone could slip on it.
3. Put the soap and sponge back in their place.
4. Hang your towel up to dry after using it.
5. Put dirty clothes in the washing basket rather than leaving them on the floor.
6. Check that every tap is closed properly before you leave. A dripping tap wastes water.

Everyday Room Care

1. Make your bed each morning.
2. After bathing, hang your towel to dry and put dirty clothes aside for washing.
3. Put away clean clothes and shoes rather than leaving them out.
4. Pack away books, papers and bags once you are done with them.
5. Pick up anything left on the floor and put it back where it belongs.
6. Throw any litter into the bin.
7. Avoid eating in the bedroom; it attracts ants and other pests.

Why Littering Matters

Littering means throwing dirt down anywhere instead of into a bin, often because someone assumes another person will clean up after them. That assumption is unfair, and Allah is not pleased with the behaviour it produces. If you see litter lying around, the better habit is to pick it up yourself.

Litter spoils the environment and can sicken or kill the creatures that live in it if they eat it by mistake. Thrown into rivers, beaches or dams, it pollutes the water and harms fish; thrown in parks and gardens, it harms small animals and can injure people on broken glass or other sharp litter.

Throwing rubbish from a car window is both littering and a road hazard. Gently remind family and friends not to litter, and remember that Allah is always watching, even in the moments no one else is.

Istinjaa

Istinjaa is the thorough cleaning of the private parts after passing urine or stool, using water and toilet paper.

Being careful and unhurried about this matters more than it might seem. It is reported that most of the punishment of the grave comes from carelessness about small droplets of urine left on the body or clothing, so this is worth doing thoroughly rather than rushing it.

1. Clean the private parts with water and toilet paper after passing urine or stool.
2. Use the left hand only. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, prohibited using the right hand for istinjaa.
3. Wash at least three times, so you can be confident nothing remains.

Bathing

Bathing daily keeps the body clean and healthy: it washes away germs, dirt, sweat and bad odours. Beyond a regular morning or evening bath, it is worth bathing again after swimming, sport, or any activity that leaves you visibly dirty.

Use water and soap, and rub the body properly with a sponge or cloth so nothing is left behind. Bathing is a Sunnah, a practice the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, followed himself, and it is part of living out the Deen, our religion, properly, not only a matter of physical comfort.

Washing Your Hands

Washing the hands with soap and water is a beautiful Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the simplest way to stay healthy. Hands pick up dirt and germs constantly through the day, and washing them properly is what removes that risk before it becomes illness.

1. Wash your hands on waking, whenever they look dirty, and after using the toilet.
2. Wash before and after eating, and before handling food.
3. Wash after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, and after touching an animal.
4. Wash on returning home from being out.
5. Wet your hands with running water, rub soap over them thoroughly for about twenty seconds, rinse fully, then dry with a clean towel.

Caring for Your Nails

Long nails trap dirt and germs that ordinary hand washing does not reach. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught clipping the nails once a week, ideally on Thursday night or on Friday before Jumuah, the Friday congregational prayer.

The source also discourages women from using nail polish, describing it as unhealthy and against what is taught.

1. Scrub under the nails with a nail brush when you wash your hands.
2. Avoid biting or chewing your nails.
3. When you clip your nails, gather the clippings in tissue and bury them rather than burning, flushing or throwing them away; they are part of the body and are treated with the same respect.

Taking Care of Your Hair

Keeping the hair combed and tidy is part of good hygiene. Women are taught to tie their hair back or plait it; the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught washing the hair at least once a week, with Friday as the Sunnah day, and rinsing it fully so no shampoo is left behind.

Oiling the hair regularly is another Sunnah; it helps the hair grow strong and stay healthy, and along with regular washing, it helps avoid lice. Men are taught to trim their hair regularly, and to avoid haircuts with uneven lengths or a partly shaved head, and styles that deliberately copy non-Muslims.

The source also teaches covering the head for certain activities: helping in the kitchen, using the toilet, eating, studying, and being outside at night, especially around Maghrib.

Keeping Your Nose Clean

The nose does real work: it lets us breathe and smell, and it traps dirt before it reaches the lungs. Looking after it is part of looking after the whole body.

1. Use a clean tissue to wipe your nose rather than your clothes or hands.
2. Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze; this is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
3. Throw used tissues in the bin, and wash your hands after blowing your nose or sneezing.
4. Avoid picking your nose.
5. During wudhu, it is Sunnah to wash inside the nose and blow it clean three times.

Keeping Your Mouth Clean

Healthy eating supports healthy teeth: plenty of fruit, vegetables and water, and less of the sweets and soft drinks that damage them. Garlic and onions are common causes of bad breath, so rinsing the mouth after eating them helps.

It is Sunnah to gargle the mouth three times during wudhu. Beyond that, brushing the teeth, and the tongue, twice a day, in the morning and before sleeping, is what actually prevents the plaque that leads to rotten teeth and bad breath.

The Miswaak

The miswaak is the toothstick the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to clean his own teeth, and using it was something he loved. Reported benefits include pleasing Allah, practising a Sunnah, a clean mouth and a pleasant smell, and it is said to help a person recite the kalimah, the declaration of faith, at the time of death.

It is reported that praying salaah after cleaning the teeth with a miswaak during wudhu earns seventy times the reward of praying without it.

1. Use the miswaak before and after eating, before sleeping, on waking, during wudhu, and before reading Qur'an or studying.
2. To prepare it, peel a small section of bark from the tip and chew it lightly until it opens into soft bristles.
3. Hold it with the three middle fingers resting on top and the thumb and little finger underneath.
4. Brush gently, sideways across the teeth.
5. Store it in a dry place between uses.

Using Itr (Perfume)

Itr is a fragrance worn on the body or clothes, and using it, rather than alcohol-based perfume, is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who loved a pleasant smell and whose own favourite itr was musk and oudh. It is Sunnah to wear it on Fridays, on the days of Eid, at Islamic gatherings, and when seeking knowledge.

Going without regular washing leaves an unpleasant body odour, so bathing and wearing itr together are what keep a person smelling clean, not one without the other. A woman may wear perfume inside her own home, but is taught not to wear it when she leaves it; a little is enough, in any case, for anyone.

Building the Habit

None of these habits need to be perfect from day one; they are small, repeatable actions that become natural the more consistently they are practised. The person to look to for how to do this well is the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who was known for being clean and neat, and who taught these very habits to the people around him.

What Wudhu Is, and Why We Make It

Wudhu is a specific way of washing that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught his followers. Performing it is described in the booklet as cleansing the body and washing away sin, and Allah is described as pleased with a person who makes wudhu and then prays. As the Prophet himself put it: wudhu is the key to salaah.

Wudhu is needed for several things: to perform salaah, to touch the Qur'an itself or any paper carrying one of its verses, and to touch a Surah kitaab, a booklet used for learning the Qur'an.

What Breaks Wudhu

A number of things end wudhu once it has been made, meaning it needs to be performed again before the next salaah: sleeping, laughing aloud during salaah, passing urine, breaking wind, blood leaving the body, and passing stool.

How to Make Wudhu

1. Say Bismillah and Alhamdulillah to begin.
2. Wash both hands up to the wrist, three times.
3. Use the miswaak.
4. Gargle the mouth, three times.
5. Clean the nostrils, three times.
6. Wash the face, three times.
7. Wash both arms, including the elbows, three times.
8. Wipe (make masah of) the whole head, the ears and behind the neck, once.
9. Wash both feet, including the ankles, three times.

The Five Pillars

Our Deen, Islam, is taught as standing on five pillars: the Kalimah, the declaration of faith; Salaah, the five daily prayers; Zakaat, obligatory charity; Saum, fasting in Ramadaan; and Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. Performed properly, as the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught, these five keep Imaan strong; neglected, they leave a person more exposed to sin and to a weaker Imaan.

It is reported that on the Day of Qiyaamah, the Day of Judgement, the eight gates of Jannah, Paradise, will be opened for everyone who performs the five daily prayers, fasts in Ramadaan, pays Zakaat, and stays away from major sins, free to enter through whichever gate they choose.

Believing in One Allah

Being a true Muslim means believing in and worshipping Allah alone: He alone is our Creator, and everything in this world, the good and the difficult alike, is under His control. Allah has no partners, no helpers, and no family, so He alone deserves to be worshipped, and He alone is who we turn to for help.

Believing in the Final Messenger

Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is Allah's final messenger; no prophet comes after him. He is described as the best of all creation and the most beloved to Allah, and Muslims are taught to follow his example in everything he did.

1. Recite the Kalimah: Laa ilaaha illal laahu, Muhammadur Rasulullah. In your own words: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

The Second Pillar

Salaah is described in the booklet as a special gift from Allah: the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught exactly when and how to perform it, and wudhu and dressing correctly come before it. The source teaches that men perform Salaah at the masjid, while women perform Salaah at home.

There are five daily prayers: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Esha, each performed facing the Kaaba, the House of Allah. Salaah is described as the key to Jannah: performed correctly, it removes sin, cleanses the heart, draws a person closer to Allah, and leads to Jannah.

The Third Pillar

Zakaat means giving charity to the poor and needy: sharing what Allah has given us with those who have less. It is taught as a way of drawing the rich and the poor closer together, in money, clothing, food or whatever else is needed, and it is given once a year.

Giving Zakaat generously is described as something Allah responds to by giving back even more, and as a habit that builds real kindness toward people in need, not only a transaction completed once a year and then forgotten.

The Fourth Pillar

Fasting in the month of Ramadaan is fardh, compulsory, for Muslims: leaving it out without a valid reason is sinful, and Allah has promised great reward for observing it properly.

It is reported that Jannah has a gate called Ar-Rayyaan reserved for those who fasted: on the Day of Qiyaamah they alone will be called to it, and once they have all entered, it will be closed to everyone else.

1. Abstain from eating and drinking from Sehri, before dawn, until Iftaar, after sunset.
2. Alongside food and drink, avoid lying, swearing and fighting; the source also names watching television and listening to music among the sins to avoid while fasting.

The Fifth Pillar

Hajj is a pilgrimage to Makkah, performed over five days at the start of Zul Hijjah, in which pilgrims, the Hujjaaj, carry out a set sequence of acts of worship at several different places. The garment worn during Hajj is called the Ihraam.

During Hajj, pilgrims recite the Talbiyah, a declaration of arrival and devotion, repeatedly throughout the journey.

1. Recite the Talbiyah: Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, innal hamda wa'n ni'mata laka wal mulk, laa shareeka lak. In your own words: here I am at Your service, O Allah, I am present, I am present, You have no partner, I am present, all praise and every blessing and the entire kingdom are Yours, You have no partner.

The Hajj Journey

Hajj begins with putting on the Ihraam and making Tawaaf, walking seven times around the Kaaba, in Makkah. From there, the Hujjaaj travel between Mina, Arafah and Muzdalifah, praying, reciting Qur'an and remembering Allah in dhikr.

They also make sincere Tawbah, repentance, and dua, personal prayer, for themselves and for the whole Ummah, the wider Muslim community. Hajj is one of the most significant pillars in Islam, and it is worth making dua regularly asking Allah to grant the opportunity to perform it.

1. Pelt the Jamaraat, symbolically rejecting shaytaan, the devil.
2. Perform the Qurbani, the sacrifice.
3. Shave or cut the hair to mark the completion of Hajj.
4. Return home once the five days and every act of Hajj are complete.

The Islamic Months

The Islamic calendar has twelve months and is a lunar calendar: each new month begins with the sighting of the moon rather than a fixed date, and it is Sunnah to look for it at the start of every month.

In order, they are Muharram, Safar, Rabee'ul Awwal, Rabee'ul Aakhir, Jumaadal Oola, Jumaadal Ukhra, Rajab, Sha'baan, Ramadaan, Shawwaal, Zul Qa'dah and Zul Hijjah.