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The Ideal Muslim and His Own Self
By Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali Al-Hashimi
(An Excerpt from the Author's Book “The Ideal Muslim: The True Islâmic Personality of the Muslim as Defined in the Qur’ân and Sunnah”)
Introduction
Islam wants the Muslim to stand out among people, readily distinguished by his appearance, dress, decent behaviour and good deeds, so that he will be a good example and worthy of the great message that he brings to people.
According to a hadith narrated by the great Sahabi Ibn al- Hanzaliyyah, the Prophet (S.A.W.) told his Companions, when they were travelling to meet some brothers in faith:
“You are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well, so that you will stand out among people like an adornment, for Allah (S.W.T.) does not love ugliness.” 1
The Prophet (S.A.W.) considered an unkempt and careless appearance, and scruffy clothes and furnishings, to be forms of ugliness, which is hated and forbidden by Islam.
The true Muslim does not neglect himself, no matter how busy he is with his Islamic responsibilities, because the outward appearance of a man cannot be separated from his inner nature. A refined and pleasant appearance befits a noble and decent essence: this is how the Muslim who is to call others to Allah (S.W.T.) should be.
The smart Muslim is one who strikes a balance between the needs of his body, mind and soul. He gives each the attention it deserves, and does not exaggerate in one aspect to the detriment of the others. In seeking to strike the right balance, he is following the wise guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W.).
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aî (R.A.A.) reported that the Prophet (S.A.W.) knew about his exaggeration in worship, because he told him (‘Abdullah):
“Have I not heard that you fast all day and stay up all night in prayer?” He said, “That is true, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (S.A.W.) told him: “Do not do that. Fast and break your fast, sleep and get up. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your visitors have a right over you.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
How can the Muslim achieve this balance between his body, mind and soul?
1- His Body
Moderation in food and drink
The Muslim takes good care of his body, actively promoting its good health and strength. So he is moderate in his intake of food and drink, avoiding greed and consuming only what he needs to maintain his well-being and energy. This is in accordance with the guidance of Allah (S.W.T.) in the Qur’an:
[. . . Eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.] (Qur’an 7:31)
Similarly, the Prophet (S.A.W.) also advised moderation in food and drink:
“There is no worse vessel for the son of Adam to fill than his own stomach, but if he must fill it, then let him allow one third for food, one third for drink, and one third for air.” 2
‘Umar (R.A.A.) said:
“Beware of filling your stomachs with food and drink, for it is harmful to the body and causes sickness and laziness in performing prayers. Be moderate in both food and drink, for that is healthier for your bodies and furthest removed from extravagance. Allah (S.W.T.) will hate the fat man (one who revels in a life of luxury), and a man will not be condemned until he favours his desires over his religion.” 3
The Muslim avoids drugs and stimulants, especially those which are clearly known to be haram. He sleeps early and wakes early, and does not take medicine except for illness. Besides this, everything in his way of life is aimed at promoting his natural health and energy.
The smart Muslim knows that a strong believer is more loved by Allah (S.W.T.) than a weak one, as the Prophet (S.A.W.) said, so he tries to strengthen his body through a healthy lifestyle.
He exercises regularly
Although the Muslim usually enjoys good physical health, because of his abstention from haram or harmful food and drink, and his avoidance of bad habits such as staying up late or indulging in activities that may be detrimental to his well-being, he must still make a concerted effort to improve his bodily strength.
The healthy eating habits that he practices are supplemented by an organized exercise program, appropriate to his physical condition, age and social status. This gives strength, energy and vitality to his body, and provides immunity to illness.
If he is to reap the benefits of exercise, he plans to exercise regularly and does not give up. All of this is done in an organized and systematic fashion, but in moderation, as this is the hallmark of the true Muslim in every place and age.
His body and clothes are clean
The Muslim whom Islam wants to stand out among people is very clean. He has high standards of personal hygiene, bathing frequently in accordance with the guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W.) who encouraged people to wash themselves completely and wear perfume, especially on Fridays:
“Have a bath on Fridays and wash your heads, even if you are not in a state of janabah (impurity, e.g. following sexual relations), and wear perfume.” (Bukhari).
The Prophet (S.A.W.) placed such a great emphasis on cleanliness and bathing that some of the four Imams considered performing ghusl before Friday prayer to be obligatory (wajib).
Abu Hurayrah (R.A.A.) said:
“The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: ‘It is the duty of every Muslim to take a bath (at least) once every seven days, and to wash his head and body.’” (Bukhari and Muslim)
The true Muslim keeps his clothes and socks clean, checking them from time to time, to be sure that they have no unpleasant smell. He also wears perfume 4 to help keep himself clean. It is reported that ‘Umar (R.A.A.) used to say: “Whoever spends a third of his wealth on perfume is not being extravagant.”
The smart Muslim takes care of his mouth, for no one should ever have to smell an unpleasant odour coming from it. He does this by cleaning his teeth every day with a siwak, toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwashes. He also visits the dentist regularly, to check his mouth, at least once a year, and visits other specialists (such as otolaryngologists or “ear, nose and throat” doctors) as necessary, so that his mouth will stay clean and his breath fresh.
‘A’ishah (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.) “never woke from sleeping at any time of day or night without cleaning his teeth with a siwak before performing wudu’.”5
The Prophet’s concern for oral hygiene was so great that he said:
“If it were not for the fact that I did not want to overburden my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use the siwak before every prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
‘A’ishah was asked what the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to do first when he came home. She said: “Use siwak.” (Muslim)
Regrettably, some Muslims neglect these teachings that are at the heart of Islam, and do not pay heed to the cleanliness of their mouths, bodies and clothes. So you may see them going to the mosque or to other religious meetings and study circles, annoying their brothers with their unpleasant smell and offending the angels who surround these blessed gatherings. What is really strange is the fact that they themselves listen to and repeat the saying of the Prophet (S.A.W.) that whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not go to the mosque because his breath may disturb the angels and the people:
“Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not approach our mosque, because whatever offends the sons of Adam may offend the angels.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (S.A.W.) banned those who had eaten these pungent vegetables from coming anywhere near the mosque, lest the people and the angels be offended by their bad breath, but these smells pale into insignificance beside the stench of dirty clothes, filthy socks, unwashed bodies and unclean mouths that emanate from some careless and unkempt individuals who offend others in any gathering.
Imam Ahmad and Imam al-Nisa’i narrate that Jabir (R.A.A.) said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) came to visit us, and saw a man who was wearing dirty clothes. He said, ‘Could this person not find anything with which to wash his clothes?’”
The Prophet (S.A.W.) did not like a Muslim to appear before people wearing dirty clothes, if he had the means to clean them. He encouraged Muslims always to dress in clean clothes and to present a neat and attractive appearance. He used to say:
“There is nothing wrong with keeping two garments for Friday, apart from one’s work clothes.” 6
Islam frequently encourages its followers to be clean always, to perfume their clothes and to ensure that their bodies always smell fresh and clean. This is what the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to do, according to the report that Imam Muslim quotes from Anas ibn Malik, who said: “I have never smelt any ambergris or musk that had a better scent than the scent of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.).”
Many reports describe the cleanliness of the Prophet’s clothes and body, and describe the sweet smell of his sweat. For example, if he shook hands with a man, his beautiful scent would remain on that man’s hand for the rest of the day, and if he laid his hand on the head of a child, that child would stand out from others by virtue of his sweet smell.
Imam Bukhari mentions, in al-Tarikh al-kabir, reporting from Jabir, that the Prophet (S.A.W.) never passed through a place but a person who followed him would know that he had been there, from his lingering scent.
Once, the Prophet (S.A.W.) slept in the house of Anas. He sweated, and Umm Anas came to collect the sweat in a bottle. The Prophet (S.A.W.) asked her about what she was doing, and she told him: “This is your sweat; we add it to our perfume and it is the best of perfumes.” (Muslim)
How urgent is the Muslims’ need to follow the guidance of this great Messenger in his command to take care of one’s hair and keep it neat in accordance with the teachings of Islam. This is reported in the hadith that Abu Dawud quotes from Abu Hurayrah (R.A.A.) who said:
“The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: ‘Whoever has hair, let him look after it properly.’”
Looking after one’s hair, according to Islamic teaching, involves keeping it clean, combing it, perfuming it and styling it nicely.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) did not like people to leave their hair uncombed and unkempt, so that they looked like wild monsters. He described such an ugly appearance as being like the Shaytan. In al-Muwatta, Imam Malik reports a hadith with a mursal isnad from ‘Ata’ ibn Yassar, who said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) was in the mosque, when a man with unkempt hair and an untidy beard came in. The Prophet (S.A.W.) pointed to him, as if indicating that to him that he should tidy up his hair and beard. The man went and did so, then returned. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said, ‘Is this not better than that any one of you should come with unkempt hair, looking like the Shaytan?”
The Prophet’s likening a man with untidy hair to the Shaytan clearly shows how concerned Islam is with a neat and pleasant appearance, and how opposed it is to scruffiness and ugliness.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) always took note of people’s appearance, and he never saw a scruffily-dressed man with untidy hair but he criticized him for his self-neglect. Imam Ahmad and al-Nisa’i report that Jabir (R.A.A.) said: “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) came to visit us, and he saw an unkempt man whose hair was going in all directions, so he said, ‘Could he not find anything with which to calm his head?’”
Good appearance
The true Muslim takes good care of his clothes, so you will see him presenting a pleasant appearance, without being extravagant. He is pleasant to look at and to meet, and does not annoy people with his careless, dishevelled appearance. He always checks himself before he goes out to meet people, and he makes himself look good, in moderation, for the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to make himself look good in front of his Companions, as well as in front of his family.
In his commentary on the Ayah:
[Say: Who has forbidden the beautiful [gifts] of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, [which He has provided] for sustenance? . . .] (Qur’an 7:32)
Al-Qurðubi said: “Makhul reported from ‘A’ishah: ‘A group of the Companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) was waiting at the door for him, so he prepared to go out to meet them. There was a vessel of water in the house, and he peered into it, smoothing his beard and his hair. (‘A’ishah said
I asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, even you do this?” He said: “Yes, when a man goes out to meet his brothers, let him prepare himself properly, for Allah (S.W.T.) is beautiful and loves beauty.”’”
The Muslim does all of this in accordance with the Islamic ideal of moderation, avoiding the extremes of either exaggeration or negligence:
[Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just [balance] between those [extremes].] (Qur’an 25:67)
Islam wants its followers, and especially its advocates (da‘is) to stand out in gatherings in an attractive fashion, not to appear unsightly or unbearable. Neglecting one’s appearance to the extent of being offensive to one’s companions in the name of asceticism and humility is not part of Islam. The Prophet (S.A.W.), who was the epitome of asceticism and humility, used to dress in decent clothes and present a pleasant appearance to his family and his companions. He regarded dressing well and looking good as a demonstration of the blessings of Allah (S.W.T.) :
“Allah (S.W.T.) loves to see the signs of His gifts on His slave.”7
Ibn Sa‘d reports in al-Tabaqat that Jundab ibn Makith (R.A.A.) said:
“Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), he would wear his best clothes and order his leading Companions to do likewise. I saw the Prophet (S.A.W.) on the day that the delegation of Kindah came to meet him; he was wearing a Yemeni garment, and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were dressed similarly.”
Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi and others report that ‘Umar (R.A.A.) said:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) ask for a new garment. He put it on, and when it reached his knees he said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Who has given me clothes with which to cover myself and make myself look beautiful in this life.’”
‘Abdul-Rahman ibn ‘Awf (R.A.A.) used to dress in a cloak or garment that was worth four or five hundred dirhams (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 3/131), and Ibn ‘Abbas bought a garment worth one thousand dirhams and wore it (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 3/131).
So long as this taking care of one’s outward appearance does not go to extremes, then it is part of the beauty that Allah (S.W.T.) has allowed for His slaves and encouraged them to adopt:
[O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters. Say, who has forbidden the beautiful [gifts] of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, [which He has provided] for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, [and] purely for them on the Day of Judgement. Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.] (Qur’an 7:31-32)
Muslim reports from Ibn Mas‘ud (R.A.A.) that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“No one who has even an atom’s-weight of pride in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man asked him, “What if he likes his clothes and shoes to look good?” (Meaning, is this counted as pride?) The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “Allah (S.W.T.) is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on other people.”
This is the understanding adopted by the Sahabah and those who followed them sincerely. Therefore Imam Abu Hanifah (R.A.A.) always took care to dress well and to ensure that he smelled clean and fresh, and urged others to do likewise. One day he met a man who used to attend his circle, who was dressed in scruffy clothes. He took him to one side and offered him one thousand dirhams with which to smarten himself up. The man told him, “I have money, I do not need this.” Abu Hanifah admonished him: “Have you not heard the hadith, ‘Allah (S.W.T.) loves to see the signs of His gifts on His servant’? So you have to change yourself, and not appear offensive to your friend.”
Naturally, those who call people to Allah (S.W.T.) should be better and smarter in appearance than others, so that they will be better able to attract people and make their message reach their hearts. Indeed they, unlike others, are required to be like this even if they do not go out and meet people, because those who proclaim the word of Allah (S.W.T.) should take care of their appearance and pay attention to the cleanliness of their bodies, clothes, nails and hair. They should do this even if they are in a state of isolation or retreat, in response to the call of the natural unaffected inclination of man (fitrah) which the Prophet (S.A.W.) told us about and outlined its requirements:
“Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, plucking hair from the armpits, cutting the nails, and trimming the moustache.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Taking care of oneself in accordance with this fiðrah is something encouraged by Islam and supported by every person of common sense and good taste.
Nevertheless, paying attention to one’s appearance should not make a Muslim fall into the trap of over-exaggerating his grooming to the extent that he loses sight of the sense of balance prescribed by Islamic teaching. The Muslim always aims at moderation in all things, and is on the alert to prevent any one aspect of his life from taking over at the expense of another.
The Muslim never forgets that Islam, which encourages him to take care of his appearance and to wear his beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, is also the religion that warns him against going to extremes in that, and tells him to avoid becoming enslaved by his appearance, as the hadith says:
“Wretched is the slave of the dinar, dirham, and fancy clothes of velvet and silk! If he is given, he is pleased, and if he is not given, he is displeased.” (Bukhari)
No doubt those who call people to Allah (S.W.T.) are saved from this error, because they surround themselves with the protection of Islam and adopt the principles of moderation that it has brought.
2- His Mind
Knowledge is an obligation and an honour for the Muslim
The Muslim believes that exercising his mind and seeking knowledge and discovering the signs of Allah (S.W.T.) in the universe is an obligation, because of the saying of the Prophet (S.A.W.):
“Seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim.” (Bukhari)
Therefore the Muslim must continue to pursue knowledge, as long as the breath of life remains in his body. The fact that Allah (S.W.T.) has raised the status of those who have knowledge, and described them alone as truly fearing Him, should be enough to encourage the Muslim to apply himself to seeking knowledge. For He said:
[. . . Those truly fear Allah, among His Slaves, who have knowledge . . . ] (Qur’an 35:28)
No one truly fears Allah (S.W.T.) except those whose minds are enlightened enough to see the greatness and power of Allah (S.W.T.) manifested in the creation of the universe and all living things, and these are the people of knowledge. So He has preferred them over those who have no knowledge:
[. . . Say: ‘Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.’] (Qur’an 39:9)
Safwan ibn ‘Assal al-Muradi came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) in the mosque and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have come seeking knowledge.” The Prophet (S.A.W.) told him: “Welcome, O seeker of knowledge! Truly the angels surround the seeker of knowledge with their wings, gathering around him in ranks one above the other, until they reach the first heaven, out of love for that which he seeks.”8
The texts that extol the virtue of knowledge and exhort its pursuit are many, therefore the true Muslim is either a scholar or a seeker of knowledge, and cannot be anything else.
Continuously seeking knowledge until death
True knowledge does not mean obtaining a degree or diploma that will let one earn an income and guarantee a good standard of living, after which one turns away from learning and does not explore the treasure of knowledge any further; true learning means that one continues to read and study, increasing one’s learning day by day, in accordance with the words of the Qur’an:
[. . . But say, ‘O my Rabb! Advance me in knowledge.’] (Qur’an 20:114)
Our righteous predecessors never stopped seeking to increase their knowledge, no matter how high a level of learning they had achieved, and they would continue their pursuit until the end of their lives. They believed that knowledge was a living thing that would thrive if it were actively pursued, but would wither and perish if it were ignored and abandoned. Many sayings are attributed to them that eloquently express their respect for learning and their keenness to acquire knowledge. Examples of their sayings are given below.
Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr reported that Ibn Abi Ghassan said: “So long as you are seeking knowledge you are knowledgeable, but as soon as you abandon this pursuit you become ignorant.”
Imam Malik (R.A.A.) said: “No one who has knowledge should stop seeking knowledge.”
Imam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak was asked: “How long will you seek knowledge?” He said, “Until I die, for probably I have not yet learnt the things that will benefit me most.”
Imam Abu ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ala’ was asked: “For how long does it befit a man to seek knowledge?” He said, “For as long as he has life in him.”
Imam Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah gave an excellent answer when he was asked “Who is most in need of seeking knowledge?” He said: “Those who have the most knowledge.” He was asked, “Why?” and he replied, “Because if they make a mistake, it is worse.”
Such was Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606 AH), the great mufassir (Qur’anic exegete) and prominent scholar in philosophy (‘ilm al-kalam) and other disciplines, who authored many works. Allah (S.W.T.) gave him such fame in knowledge that people would come from all over to see him whenever he visited a city. When he came to the city of Merv (in Turkmenistan), flocks of scholars and students came to have the privilege of listening to and learning from him. Among the seekers of knowledge who attended his circle was a young man, less than twenty years old, who was very well versed in literature and genealogy. When Imam Fakhr al-Din realized that this student was an expert in genealogy, a field in which he knew very little, he asked his student to teach him. He did not find it unacceptable to become the student of his student, and he even made him sit in the teacher’s place while he himself sat at his feet. Such an act was characteristic of Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, and it did not detract from his high status, as he was the Imam of his age.
By Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali Al-Hashimi
(An Excerpt from the Author's Book “The Ideal Muslim: The True Islâmic Personality of the Muslim as Defined in the Qur’ân and Sunnah”)
Introduction
Islam wants the Muslim to stand out among people, readily distinguished by his appearance, dress, decent behaviour and good deeds, so that he will be a good example and worthy of the great message that he brings to people.
According to a hadith narrated by the great Sahabi Ibn al- Hanzaliyyah, the Prophet (S.A.W.) told his Companions, when they were travelling to meet some brothers in faith:
“You are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well, so that you will stand out among people like an adornment, for Allah (S.W.T.) does not love ugliness.” 1
The Prophet (S.A.W.) considered an unkempt and careless appearance, and scruffy clothes and furnishings, to be forms of ugliness, which is hated and forbidden by Islam.
The true Muslim does not neglect himself, no matter how busy he is with his Islamic responsibilities, because the outward appearance of a man cannot be separated from his inner nature. A refined and pleasant appearance befits a noble and decent essence: this is how the Muslim who is to call others to Allah (S.W.T.) should be.
The smart Muslim is one who strikes a balance between the needs of his body, mind and soul. He gives each the attention it deserves, and does not exaggerate in one aspect to the detriment of the others. In seeking to strike the right balance, he is following the wise guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W.).
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aî (R.A.A.) reported that the Prophet (S.A.W.) knew about his exaggeration in worship, because he told him (‘Abdullah):
“Have I not heard that you fast all day and stay up all night in prayer?” He said, “That is true, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (S.A.W.) told him: “Do not do that. Fast and break your fast, sleep and get up. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your visitors have a right over you.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
How can the Muslim achieve this balance between his body, mind and soul?
1- His Body
Moderation in food and drink
The Muslim takes good care of his body, actively promoting its good health and strength. So he is moderate in his intake of food and drink, avoiding greed and consuming only what he needs to maintain his well-being and energy. This is in accordance with the guidance of Allah (S.W.T.) in the Qur’an:
[. . . Eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.] (Qur’an 7:31)
Similarly, the Prophet (S.A.W.) also advised moderation in food and drink:
“There is no worse vessel for the son of Adam to fill than his own stomach, but if he must fill it, then let him allow one third for food, one third for drink, and one third for air.” 2
‘Umar (R.A.A.) said:
“Beware of filling your stomachs with food and drink, for it is harmful to the body and causes sickness and laziness in performing prayers. Be moderate in both food and drink, for that is healthier for your bodies and furthest removed from extravagance. Allah (S.W.T.) will hate the fat man (one who revels in a life of luxury), and a man will not be condemned until he favours his desires over his religion.” 3
The Muslim avoids drugs and stimulants, especially those which are clearly known to be haram. He sleeps early and wakes early, and does not take medicine except for illness. Besides this, everything in his way of life is aimed at promoting his natural health and energy.
The smart Muslim knows that a strong believer is more loved by Allah (S.W.T.) than a weak one, as the Prophet (S.A.W.) said, so he tries to strengthen his body through a healthy lifestyle.
He exercises regularly
Although the Muslim usually enjoys good physical health, because of his abstention from haram or harmful food and drink, and his avoidance of bad habits such as staying up late or indulging in activities that may be detrimental to his well-being, he must still make a concerted effort to improve his bodily strength.
The healthy eating habits that he practices are supplemented by an organized exercise program, appropriate to his physical condition, age and social status. This gives strength, energy and vitality to his body, and provides immunity to illness.
If he is to reap the benefits of exercise, he plans to exercise regularly and does not give up. All of this is done in an organized and systematic fashion, but in moderation, as this is the hallmark of the true Muslim in every place and age.
His body and clothes are clean
The Muslim whom Islam wants to stand out among people is very clean. He has high standards of personal hygiene, bathing frequently in accordance with the guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W.) who encouraged people to wash themselves completely and wear perfume, especially on Fridays:
“Have a bath on Fridays and wash your heads, even if you are not in a state of janabah (impurity, e.g. following sexual relations), and wear perfume.” (Bukhari).
The Prophet (S.A.W.) placed such a great emphasis on cleanliness and bathing that some of the four Imams considered performing ghusl before Friday prayer to be obligatory (wajib).
Abu Hurayrah (R.A.A.) said:
“The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: ‘It is the duty of every Muslim to take a bath (at least) once every seven days, and to wash his head and body.’” (Bukhari and Muslim)
The true Muslim keeps his clothes and socks clean, checking them from time to time, to be sure that they have no unpleasant smell. He also wears perfume 4 to help keep himself clean. It is reported that ‘Umar (R.A.A.) used to say: “Whoever spends a third of his wealth on perfume is not being extravagant.”
The smart Muslim takes care of his mouth, for no one should ever have to smell an unpleasant odour coming from it. He does this by cleaning his teeth every day with a siwak, toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwashes. He also visits the dentist regularly, to check his mouth, at least once a year, and visits other specialists (such as otolaryngologists or “ear, nose and throat” doctors) as necessary, so that his mouth will stay clean and his breath fresh.
‘A’ishah (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.) “never woke from sleeping at any time of day or night without cleaning his teeth with a siwak before performing wudu’.”5
The Prophet’s concern for oral hygiene was so great that he said:
“If it were not for the fact that I did not want to overburden my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use the siwak before every prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
‘A’ishah was asked what the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to do first when he came home. She said: “Use siwak.” (Muslim)
Regrettably, some Muslims neglect these teachings that are at the heart of Islam, and do not pay heed to the cleanliness of their mouths, bodies and clothes. So you may see them going to the mosque or to other religious meetings and study circles, annoying their brothers with their unpleasant smell and offending the angels who surround these blessed gatherings. What is really strange is the fact that they themselves listen to and repeat the saying of the Prophet (S.A.W.) that whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not go to the mosque because his breath may disturb the angels and the people:
“Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not approach our mosque, because whatever offends the sons of Adam may offend the angels.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (S.A.W.) banned those who had eaten these pungent vegetables from coming anywhere near the mosque, lest the people and the angels be offended by their bad breath, but these smells pale into insignificance beside the stench of dirty clothes, filthy socks, unwashed bodies and unclean mouths that emanate from some careless and unkempt individuals who offend others in any gathering.
Imam Ahmad and Imam al-Nisa’i narrate that Jabir (R.A.A.) said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) came to visit us, and saw a man who was wearing dirty clothes. He said, ‘Could this person not find anything with which to wash his clothes?’”
The Prophet (S.A.W.) did not like a Muslim to appear before people wearing dirty clothes, if he had the means to clean them. He encouraged Muslims always to dress in clean clothes and to present a neat and attractive appearance. He used to say:
“There is nothing wrong with keeping two garments for Friday, apart from one’s work clothes.” 6
Islam frequently encourages its followers to be clean always, to perfume their clothes and to ensure that their bodies always smell fresh and clean. This is what the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to do, according to the report that Imam Muslim quotes from Anas ibn Malik, who said: “I have never smelt any ambergris or musk that had a better scent than the scent of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.).”
Many reports describe the cleanliness of the Prophet’s clothes and body, and describe the sweet smell of his sweat. For example, if he shook hands with a man, his beautiful scent would remain on that man’s hand for the rest of the day, and if he laid his hand on the head of a child, that child would stand out from others by virtue of his sweet smell.
Imam Bukhari mentions, in al-Tarikh al-kabir, reporting from Jabir, that the Prophet (S.A.W.) never passed through a place but a person who followed him would know that he had been there, from his lingering scent.
Once, the Prophet (S.A.W.) slept in the house of Anas. He sweated, and Umm Anas came to collect the sweat in a bottle. The Prophet (S.A.W.) asked her about what she was doing, and she told him: “This is your sweat; we add it to our perfume and it is the best of perfumes.” (Muslim)
How urgent is the Muslims’ need to follow the guidance of this great Messenger in his command to take care of one’s hair and keep it neat in accordance with the teachings of Islam. This is reported in the hadith that Abu Dawud quotes from Abu Hurayrah (R.A.A.) who said:
“The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: ‘Whoever has hair, let him look after it properly.’”
Looking after one’s hair, according to Islamic teaching, involves keeping it clean, combing it, perfuming it and styling it nicely.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) did not like people to leave their hair uncombed and unkempt, so that they looked like wild monsters. He described such an ugly appearance as being like the Shaytan. In al-Muwatta, Imam Malik reports a hadith with a mursal isnad from ‘Ata’ ibn Yassar, who said:
“The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) was in the mosque, when a man with unkempt hair and an untidy beard came in. The Prophet (S.A.W.) pointed to him, as if indicating that to him that he should tidy up his hair and beard. The man went and did so, then returned. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said, ‘Is this not better than that any one of you should come with unkempt hair, looking like the Shaytan?”
The Prophet’s likening a man with untidy hair to the Shaytan clearly shows how concerned Islam is with a neat and pleasant appearance, and how opposed it is to scruffiness and ugliness.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) always took note of people’s appearance, and he never saw a scruffily-dressed man with untidy hair but he criticized him for his self-neglect. Imam Ahmad and al-Nisa’i report that Jabir (R.A.A.) said: “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) came to visit us, and he saw an unkempt man whose hair was going in all directions, so he said, ‘Could he not find anything with which to calm his head?’”
Good appearance
The true Muslim takes good care of his clothes, so you will see him presenting a pleasant appearance, without being extravagant. He is pleasant to look at and to meet, and does not annoy people with his careless, dishevelled appearance. He always checks himself before he goes out to meet people, and he makes himself look good, in moderation, for the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to make himself look good in front of his Companions, as well as in front of his family.
In his commentary on the Ayah:
[Say: Who has forbidden the beautiful [gifts] of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, [which He has provided] for sustenance? . . .] (Qur’an 7:32)
Al-Qurðubi said: “Makhul reported from ‘A’ishah: ‘A group of the Companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) was waiting at the door for him, so he prepared to go out to meet them. There was a vessel of water in the house, and he peered into it, smoothing his beard and his hair. (‘A’ishah said
I asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, even you do this?” He said: “Yes, when a man goes out to meet his brothers, let him prepare himself properly, for Allah (S.W.T.) is beautiful and loves beauty.”’” The Muslim does all of this in accordance with the Islamic ideal of moderation, avoiding the extremes of either exaggeration or negligence:
[Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just [balance] between those [extremes].] (Qur’an 25:67)
Islam wants its followers, and especially its advocates (da‘is) to stand out in gatherings in an attractive fashion, not to appear unsightly or unbearable. Neglecting one’s appearance to the extent of being offensive to one’s companions in the name of asceticism and humility is not part of Islam. The Prophet (S.A.W.), who was the epitome of asceticism and humility, used to dress in decent clothes and present a pleasant appearance to his family and his companions. He regarded dressing well and looking good as a demonstration of the blessings of Allah (S.W.T.) :
“Allah (S.W.T.) loves to see the signs of His gifts on His slave.”7
Ibn Sa‘d reports in al-Tabaqat that Jundab ibn Makith (R.A.A.) said:
“Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.), he would wear his best clothes and order his leading Companions to do likewise. I saw the Prophet (S.A.W.) on the day that the delegation of Kindah came to meet him; he was wearing a Yemeni garment, and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were dressed similarly.”
Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi and others report that ‘Umar (R.A.A.) said:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) ask for a new garment. He put it on, and when it reached his knees he said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Who has given me clothes with which to cover myself and make myself look beautiful in this life.’”
‘Abdul-Rahman ibn ‘Awf (R.A.A.) used to dress in a cloak or garment that was worth four or five hundred dirhams (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 3/131), and Ibn ‘Abbas bought a garment worth one thousand dirhams and wore it (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, 3/131).
So long as this taking care of one’s outward appearance does not go to extremes, then it is part of the beauty that Allah (S.W.T.) has allowed for His slaves and encouraged them to adopt:
[O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters. Say, who has forbidden the beautiful [gifts] of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, [which He has provided] for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, [and] purely for them on the Day of Judgement. Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.] (Qur’an 7:31-32)
Muslim reports from Ibn Mas‘ud (R.A.A.) that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said:
“No one who has even an atom’s-weight of pride in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man asked him, “What if he likes his clothes and shoes to look good?” (Meaning, is this counted as pride?) The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “Allah (S.W.T.) is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on other people.”
This is the understanding adopted by the Sahabah and those who followed them sincerely. Therefore Imam Abu Hanifah (R.A.A.) always took care to dress well and to ensure that he smelled clean and fresh, and urged others to do likewise. One day he met a man who used to attend his circle, who was dressed in scruffy clothes. He took him to one side and offered him one thousand dirhams with which to smarten himself up. The man told him, “I have money, I do not need this.” Abu Hanifah admonished him: “Have you not heard the hadith, ‘Allah (S.W.T.) loves to see the signs of His gifts on His servant’? So you have to change yourself, and not appear offensive to your friend.”
Naturally, those who call people to Allah (S.W.T.) should be better and smarter in appearance than others, so that they will be better able to attract people and make their message reach their hearts. Indeed they, unlike others, are required to be like this even if they do not go out and meet people, because those who proclaim the word of Allah (S.W.T.) should take care of their appearance and pay attention to the cleanliness of their bodies, clothes, nails and hair. They should do this even if they are in a state of isolation or retreat, in response to the call of the natural unaffected inclination of man (fitrah) which the Prophet (S.A.W.) told us about and outlined its requirements:
“Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, plucking hair from the armpits, cutting the nails, and trimming the moustache.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Taking care of oneself in accordance with this fiðrah is something encouraged by Islam and supported by every person of common sense and good taste.
Nevertheless, paying attention to one’s appearance should not make a Muslim fall into the trap of over-exaggerating his grooming to the extent that he loses sight of the sense of balance prescribed by Islamic teaching. The Muslim always aims at moderation in all things, and is on the alert to prevent any one aspect of his life from taking over at the expense of another.
The Muslim never forgets that Islam, which encourages him to take care of his appearance and to wear his beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, is also the religion that warns him against going to extremes in that, and tells him to avoid becoming enslaved by his appearance, as the hadith says:
“Wretched is the slave of the dinar, dirham, and fancy clothes of velvet and silk! If he is given, he is pleased, and if he is not given, he is displeased.” (Bukhari)
No doubt those who call people to Allah (S.W.T.) are saved from this error, because they surround themselves with the protection of Islam and adopt the principles of moderation that it has brought.
2- His Mind
Knowledge is an obligation and an honour for the Muslim
The Muslim believes that exercising his mind and seeking knowledge and discovering the signs of Allah (S.W.T.) in the universe is an obligation, because of the saying of the Prophet (S.A.W.):
“Seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim.” (Bukhari)
Therefore the Muslim must continue to pursue knowledge, as long as the breath of life remains in his body. The fact that Allah (S.W.T.) has raised the status of those who have knowledge, and described them alone as truly fearing Him, should be enough to encourage the Muslim to apply himself to seeking knowledge. For He said:
[. . . Those truly fear Allah, among His Slaves, who have knowledge . . . ] (Qur’an 35:28)
No one truly fears Allah (S.W.T.) except those whose minds are enlightened enough to see the greatness and power of Allah (S.W.T.) manifested in the creation of the universe and all living things, and these are the people of knowledge. So He has preferred them over those who have no knowledge:
[. . . Say: ‘Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.’] (Qur’an 39:9)
Safwan ibn ‘Assal al-Muradi came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) in the mosque and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have come seeking knowledge.” The Prophet (S.A.W.) told him: “Welcome, O seeker of knowledge! Truly the angels surround the seeker of knowledge with their wings, gathering around him in ranks one above the other, until they reach the first heaven, out of love for that which he seeks.”8
The texts that extol the virtue of knowledge and exhort its pursuit are many, therefore the true Muslim is either a scholar or a seeker of knowledge, and cannot be anything else.
Continuously seeking knowledge until death
True knowledge does not mean obtaining a degree or diploma that will let one earn an income and guarantee a good standard of living, after which one turns away from learning and does not explore the treasure of knowledge any further; true learning means that one continues to read and study, increasing one’s learning day by day, in accordance with the words of the Qur’an:
[. . . But say, ‘O my Rabb! Advance me in knowledge.’] (Qur’an 20:114)
Our righteous predecessors never stopped seeking to increase their knowledge, no matter how high a level of learning they had achieved, and they would continue their pursuit until the end of their lives. They believed that knowledge was a living thing that would thrive if it were actively pursued, but would wither and perish if it were ignored and abandoned. Many sayings are attributed to them that eloquently express their respect for learning and their keenness to acquire knowledge. Examples of their sayings are given below.
Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr reported that Ibn Abi Ghassan said: “So long as you are seeking knowledge you are knowledgeable, but as soon as you abandon this pursuit you become ignorant.”
Imam Malik (R.A.A.) said: “No one who has knowledge should stop seeking knowledge.”
Imam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak was asked: “How long will you seek knowledge?” He said, “Until I die, for probably I have not yet learnt the things that will benefit me most.”
Imam Abu ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ala’ was asked: “For how long does it befit a man to seek knowledge?” He said, “For as long as he has life in him.”
Imam Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah gave an excellent answer when he was asked “Who is most in need of seeking knowledge?” He said: “Those who have the most knowledge.” He was asked, “Why?” and he replied, “Because if they make a mistake, it is worse.”
Such was Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606 AH), the great mufassir (Qur’anic exegete) and prominent scholar in philosophy (‘ilm al-kalam) and other disciplines, who authored many works. Allah (S.W.T.) gave him such fame in knowledge that people would come from all over to see him whenever he visited a city. When he came to the city of Merv (in Turkmenistan), flocks of scholars and students came to have the privilege of listening to and learning from him. Among the seekers of knowledge who attended his circle was a young man, less than twenty years old, who was very well versed in literature and genealogy. When Imam Fakhr al-Din realized that this student was an expert in genealogy, a field in which he knew very little, he asked his student to teach him. He did not find it unacceptable to become the student of his student, and he even made him sit in the teacher’s place while he himself sat at his feet. Such an act was characteristic of Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, and it did not detract from his high status, as he was the Imam of his age.
