Cleanliness is important to most of us. Living in 2015, most of us have the basics to keep us clean. The understanding of cleanliness between a muslim and a non-muslim is different. Non-muslims looks for the cleanliness of the body, while we muslims also try to clean the heart and the soul. A non-muslim may take a shower, brush his teeth and put on some perfume and feel clean. For a practicing muslim to feel clean he also would take time to take the ritual shower called ghusl, to clean his soul. He/she would spend time to clean his heart from that which make it become black, like hatred, jealousy, envy and all bad qualities that the heart has to avoid to keep it pure. This fight is constant and is known as jihad, struggle. The struggle with your own self; nafs, to do the right thing, according to Allah`s laws and avoid what Allah has prohibited. This is an ongoing battle 24/7 to put your own desires and wants aside and work for what Allah wants you to do.
Something Is Smelling
People may sit beside some other in the subway, and notice the bad smell of sweat or spices coming from someone. But have they ever thought about the fact that their souls also has a smell. If they abide by Allah`s rules, the soul will have a good smell. If the soul doesn`t abide by Allah`s rules or doesn`t believe in Allah, it will have a foul smell. After our death the angels will comment on our smell according to this. And we will see our deeds in form of a human who is beautiful=good deeds versus ugly=bad deeds and he will stay with us til the Judgment Day. We can`t spend a second with people that we don`t like to be with. How will our time in the grave be in case our deeds are not good. May Allah preserve us and guide us to do good and accept our good deeds and raise our status because of them. Aameen.
A Message Can Be Sent Instantly
When the righteous pious predecessor, the friends of Allah lived on this earth, there was a time when people spent more time on cleaning their hearts, and there was more love between people. Now we clean our bodies but the heart is full of hatred, jealousy etc, so there is less love between people. Before people would walk days in difficult weather to meet people they cared for. Now we see, the world has become so little, we can send a message that will go instantly to the other side of the world, yet many doesn`t take out time for the people they care for, even if they live in the same town. May Allah increase the sisterhood and brotherhood of the Ummah, that despite our differences we can stand united and help each other. Aameen. Not abandon those who are wrong but gently correct them according to our means.
Clean It From What Does Not Belong There
Of course cleanliness is half of imaan, and we should use time and make an effort to keep ourselves clean. But don`t just stop there. We can also use time to cultivate our qualities as close as we can reach to the level of the sunnah, if we try. Not only polish our skin before an event but also our hearts, to clean it from what does not belong there. Abundance repentance, dhikr of Allah and read durood. If we use more time on this we would also be feeling beautiful, not only just looking beautiful. May Allah preserve us. Aameen.
Roshnii179 