Islamic hygienical jurisprudence
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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 Muslims. 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 water hose situated next to the toilet, so that an individual may wash themselves. This ablution is required in order to maintain ritual cleanliness, though using toilet paper is acceptable when one is not able to wash themselves.
Also because of ritual cleanliness, and again common to many Eastern cultures, Muslims take their shoes off when entering mosques and homes.
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[edit] 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 halāl, meaning lawful. They are found in Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, usually detailing what is unlawful, or harām.
[edit] Personal grooming
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Personal grooming is also a matter of focus in Islam. According to most scholars, men are expected to have a beard.[citation needed] The generally accepted length of the beard is the size of the beard-grower's fist from the chin.[citation needed] The beard is not universally accepted as an obligation, however, and many Muslims trim or shave.
[edit] Islamic cleanliness
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Cleanliness is an important part of Islam, including Qur'anic verses that teach how to achieve ritual cleanliness. Keeping Oral hygiene through cleaning the teeth with the use of a form of toothbrush called miswak is considered Sunnah, the way of 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).
[edit] Islamic toilet etiquette
The Islamic faith has particular rules regarding personal hygiene when going to the toilet. This code is known as Qadaahul Haajah.[1][2]
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.[3] 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:
- One should remain silent whilst on the toilet. Talking, answering greetings or greeting others is forbidden.[1]
- One should not face nor turn your back on Qibla whilst relieving yourself.[1]
- When leaving the toilet one should also say a prayer, "Praise be to Allah who relieved me of the filth and gave me relief."[1]
- One should use an odd number of stones to clean the anal orifice after defecation and then proceed to a different location to wash it with water. Use of toilet paper in place of stones is now thought acceptable, but washing with water is still needed for purity.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Shu'aib, Tajuddin B.. "Qadaahul Haajah (Relieving Oneself)". The Prescribed Prayer Made Simple. Compendium of Muslim Texts. http://www.msawest.com/islam/fundamentals/pillars/prayer/prescribed/pp1_2.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-10.
- ^ Niamh Horan (April 08 2007), Surgeons perform delicate operation for Muslims, Irish Independent, http://www.independent.ie/national-news/surgeons-perform-delicate-operation-for-muslims-124083.html
- ^ Sachiko Murata, "ch. 3 The Two Hands of God", The Tao of Islam, http://books.google.com/books?id=xRqDv90bAqsC
- ^ Israr Hasan (2006), Muslims in America, p. 144, ISBN 9781425942434, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k5J493fDF38C&pg=PA144&vq=odd&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1#PPA144,M1
[edit] Further reading
- QaraḍāwĪ, Yūsuf, and Waseem Yaqub. Islamic Concept of Hygiene As Seen by the Sunnah. Cairo, Egypt: El-Falah Foundation, 1997. ISBN 9775813263.
