The Arabic word “taharet” means complete cleanliness.
The word “tuhr” that comes from the same root has the same meaning. “Tahera” is to clean “tatahhur” means becoming cleansed and the word “tahur” or “tahir” means clean, pure.
Cleanliness has two aspects:
• Cleanliness of body
• Cleanliness of heart
In the Noble Quran the word is mentioned with both these meanings. But we see that it is more frequently used in the sense of purity of heart. Sometimes two different meanings is implied by the same word.
For example rain that comes from the skies is both clean and is cleanser for the earth. (1) In the first years of his Propethhood, Allah declares addressing Hadrat Prophet:
“O thou wrapped up (in a mantle)!”
“Arise and deliver thy warning!”
” And thy Lord do thou magnify!”
”And thy garments keep free from stain!”
”And all abomination shun!” (2)
Ritual ablution, total ablution-gusul- are the acts of cleaning oneself. . So believers perform ritual ablution before worship and total ablution when necessary. After their menstruation, women clean themselves so they perform a total ablution. Quran describes all of those acts with the word “taharet” or its verb form. The Noble Quran commands that not to have intercourse with women until the end of menstruation “They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves ye may approach them in any manner time or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (3) to perform ritual ablution before worship-namaz- and to have bath-total ablution- in case of canonical uncleanness “ O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill or on a journey or one of you cometh from offices of nature or ye have been in contact with women and ye find no water then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that ye may be grateful.” (4) the reason for those commands is The Will of Allah to make believers purified.
Cleanliness in the Noble Quran:
In Muslim canonical jurisprudence-fiqh- all kinds of cleanliness is named as “taharet”. It is obligatory for worship.
The word “taharet” both expresses being cleansed from bodily dirt and it also implies being purified by avoiding sins and performing the Commandments of Allah.
-----------------------------------------
(1)Chapter Furkan, 25/8.
(2) Chapter Muddessir, 74/1-5.
(3) Chapter Bakara, 2/222.
(4)Chapter Maide, 5/6.
In this sense all believers are the people who like being cleaned “Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of thy standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure.” (1) Allah The Most High likes those born servants of Him who purify themselves. “They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves ye may approach them in any manner time or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (2)
In the Noble Quran the derivatives of the word “taharet” are mentioned. Here we will give some example of them:
The mother of Prophet Jesus, Hadrat Mary was a chaste and clean person. Because Allah The Most High purified her. Her cleanliness is being a way from all kinds of bad moral qualities, dishonesty, polytheism, sins and dirt, the mistakes of rebel and disobedience: ”Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee; chosen thee above the women of all nations.”
(3)
As one of the basic principles of Islam, giving alms-zekat- cleanse the wealth, purify one's heart from excessive fondness for goods and also gives a feeling to expect the blessing of wealth with increase:
“Of their goods take alms that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them: and Allah is one who heareth and knoweth.” (4)
In this holy verse it draws attention that the word “taharet”-cleanliness- and “tezkiye” -purification-which have close meanings mentioned together.
Those who say “we have faith” although their hearts do not believe, falter in infidelity. They pay attention to lies and give the words wrong meanings. So Allah The Most High does not want to clean the hearts of them. There is no doubt that the blasphemy, hypocrisy, malice in the heart is filthiness. This dirt in the heart can only be cleared a way with faith and giving oneself up to Allah.
“ O Apostle! let not those grieve thee who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say: "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews men who will listen to any lie will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places; they say "If ye are given this take it but if not beware:" If anyone's trial is intended by Allah thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such it is not Allah's will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.”
(5)
Allah-May His Glory be exalted- descends water from the skies and removes the dirt. This water may be interpreted as the revelation of Allah at the same time. Allah wants to purify the believers, to erase the bad thoughts and mischief that Satan gives their hearts and He wants to bind the hearts of believers to each other.
“Remember He covered you with a sort of drowsiness to give you calm as from Himself and He caused rain to descend on you from heaven to clean you therewith to remove from you the stain of satan to strengthen your hearts and to plant your feet firmly therewith.” (6)
All badness and sins spoil the purity of heart and darken it. Allah The Most High wants to clean some of His born servants from these kinds of filthiness. Just like He cleaned Hadrat Mary and her son Prophet Jesus-peace be upon him-
----------------------------------------
(1) Chapter Tevbe, 9/108.
(2) Chapter Bakara, 2/222.
(3) Chapter Al-i Imran, 3/42.
(4) Chapter Tevbe, 9/103.
(5) Chapter Maide, 5/41.
(6) Chapter Enfal, 8/11.
“And stay quietly in your houses and make not a dazzling display like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Apostle. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you ye Members of the Family and to make you pure and spotless.” (1)
A promise was obtained from Prophet Abraham and Ishmael to clean Kaaba which has been respected as if the House of Allah. They would clean this house for the people who wanted to go around it for the pilgrimage. This cleanliness both implies being purified from all elements of polytheism and also it is being physically clean.
“Remember We made the house a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma`il that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round or use it as a retreat or bow or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).” (2)
Believers, who continue going to mosques that are established on the basis of piety, want to purify themselves from all sins and badness with worship, prayer and begging. Allah likes the ones who purify themselves.
“Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of thy standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure.” (3)
To avoid all kinds of immorality is another aspect of cleanliness. The people who do not involved in indecency in all their life are praised by others as being clean. The people of Lot - Sodom and Gomorrah - wanted to exile the purified ones who did not commit sodomy like them, by saying that “they are the people who clean themselves much and who remain very clean.
”And his people gave no answer but this: they said "drive them out of your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" (4)
The ones who will deserve Paradise will drink a clean drink in Paradise in prosperity.
“Upon them will be green Garments of fine silk and heavy brocade and they will be adorned with Bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to drink of a Wine Pure and Holy.” (5)
Again they are given purified spouses.
“If any of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women they may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess: and Allah hath full knowledge about your faith. Ye are one from another: wed them with the leave of their owners and give them their dowers according to what is reasonable: they should be chaste not lustful nor taking paramours: when they are taken in wedlock if they fall into shame their punishment is half that for free women. This (permission) is for those among you who fear sin; but it is better for you that ye practice self-restraint: and Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.” (6)
The Noble Quran which was revealed to purify people from all polytheism, blasphemy, mischief, sins and disobedience, is also:
“It is) in Books held (greatly) in honor”
“Exalted (in dignity) kept pure and holy” (7)
“Allah did confer a great favor on the believers when He sent among them an Apostle from among themselves rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah sanctifying them and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom while before that they had been in manifest error”. (8)
The Apostle of Allah, who was sent to clean people, read this Noble Quran from sacred pages and purifies their hearts from all sins and bad morals that make people vile.
“An apostle from Allah rehearsing scriptures kept pure and holy:” (9)
----------------------------------------------
(1)Chapter Ahzab, 33/33.
(2) Chapter Bakara, 2/125.
(3) Chapter Tevbe, 9/108.
(4) Chapter A'raf, 7/82.
(5) Chapter Insan, 76/21.
(6) Chapter Nisa, 2/25.
(7) Chapter Abese, 80/13-14.
(8) Chapter Al-i Imran, 3/164.
(9) Chapter Beyyine, 98/2
The message of the Noble Quran is like pure water. The Messenger who was chosen among others made it known to people. This pure water cleans all hearts, revive them. To pour this pure water to others, clean hearts are needed. The ones whose heart was purified with Revelation of Allah, should pour it to others without making it cloudy.
The people who have dirt in the heart and who are canonically unclean should not touch to those clean pages. Only the clean peoples can touch to Holy Quran. (1)
As it is mentioned above, the Noble Quran uses the word-taharet- cleanliness- mostly in the sense of purity of heart, being cleaned from dirt like polytheism, blasphemy, sins. Only the ones who have faith and obey to the commandments and prohibitions of Islam can attain this purification. This is the honor and the degree of superiority for a believer.
“Taharet” is also the cleanliness of body and environment. Allah The Most High likes the people who are both physically and spiritually clean. It wouldn't be false to say that Islam is the religion of purity. In all books of hadith and fiqh-Muslim canonical jurisprudence- there is a section on cleanliness. In those sections it is explained in details that how a Muslim should clean himself for worship or in daily life. Because the first step that goes to spiritual purity is the cleanliness of the body.
The hadith below points out the importance of physical cleanliness.
“Cleanliness is a part of faith. The words -Elhamdulillah-Thank to Allah- fills the balance in the day of the last judgment. The words of -Subhanellahi ve'l hamdulillahi -Praise to be Allah and thanks to Him -fills the space between the skies and earth. Ritual worship-namaz- is spiritual light. Alms is a savior evidence for man. Patience is light. The Noble Quran is evidence that may be in favor of you or against you.