Of Rituals and Words...

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Bismillah

We recently started studying the fiqh of taharah (law of cleanliness). As every Muslim would be, or should be, aware that cleanliness is given a lot of importance in Islam. So much so that our Beloved Rasulullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam said:
Purity (Cleanliness) is half of faith.. (Sahih al-Muslim)

Every possible aspect of the topic is covered by Quranic verses and authentic narrations of Ahadith. There are even masnoon supplications for entering and leaving the toilet. Now, many of us might have memorized these as kids and might even be reciting them but mostly without giving it much thought.
The supplication for leaving the toilet is "ghufranak'' meaning "Your Forgiveness (O Allah)". When we came across this, our teacher said:
"now what did you do SO bad in the bathroom that you are asking forgiveness for it?"

And for a moment, I was really like 'oh yea...'
Then she explained;
When you relieve yourself and you purify your physical self, you feel good. A Momin would always want his inner self i.e his soul, his heart to be pure too. So when he is physically pure, he prays to Allah to cleanse him of his sins too. Beautiful, isn't it?
Also, as so much stress is laid upon cleanliness in Islam, one must try their best to clean any impurity or filth upon them when they go to the toilet but even after trying our utmost, sometimes we might not be aware but some impurity might still remain on our body or clothes. So, one asks Allah's forgiveness for such shortcomings.

Ghufranak.One word, so much to it. Yet we go on fasting months, offering prayers, uttering azkaar not giving any thought to the wisdom behind these rituals. Islam is a Way of Life. It's not just empty rituals and words. Every Sunnah has wisdom behind it; Rasulullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam didn't just sleep on his right side because he felt like it, he didn't prefer drinking water in three sips because that was convenient for him. Everything he did was inspired by the One Whose Knowledge is infinite. Our religion is a beautiful ocean of knowledge, one that you can never claim to have fully explored but every stone of it upturns to reveal the most amazing and astonishing pearls of wisdom.
I must warn you though; once you dive in, it's beauty will not let you climb out.

May Allah allow us to learn and MOST IMPORTANTLY act upon His Deen. Ameen :)



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