IWVC 1 Sit Taj Afsar

Cleanliness (Taharat)

The Holy Prophet has stated "The key to paradise is Prayer (Salaat), and the key to Prayer is cleanliness." (Saheeh Muslim). Here cleanliness means that the place of Prayer and the person’s clothes should be clean. Furthermore, the person should be clean from the greater and smaller impurities - i.e. he should not be in need of a bath (Ghusl) and should be with ablution (Wuzu).
The Holy Prophet said: “The angels of mercy do not enter a house in which there is an image, a dog or a person in a state of greater impurity (Janabah)." (Abu Dawood).

Ritual purification is a feature of many religions the aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity. This ritual uncleanliness is not however identical with ordinary physical impurity, such as dirt stains; nevertheless, all body fluids are generally considered ritually unclean  and some religions have special treatment of semen and menses which are viewed as particularly unclean.
Most of these rituals existed long before the germ theory of disease and figure prominently from the earliest known religious systems of the Ancient Near East. Some writers remark that similarities between cleansing actions, engaged in by obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers and those of religious purification rites, point to an ultimate origin of the rituals in the personal grooming behaviour of the primates, but others connect the rituals to primitive taboos.

Cleanliness (Tahrat) in Islam

Islam is religion of cleanliness. Cleanliness of thought, body and cloths are the core of Islam.      

1.   Major   Cleanliness

Quran has very clearly mentioned about cleanliness and there are certain Ayah of Quran which mentioned about it.
"Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean." Quran Surah Bakara 2: 22)  In this ayah pure and clean mean both hygienically pure and clean as well as thought and philosophy. This refers to the man must be clean and pure in heart and his body and his cloths. Unless and until human being are pure and clean inside ( heart) it is not possible remain clean outward.
 In this Quranic Ayah it has been mentioned how to clean yourself and when one must clean and purify so that he stand in front of his Lord ( Allah ) All Powerful and Mighty for Prayers. Prayers are not allowed in impure conditions. (O you who believe! When you rise up for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads (with wet hands), and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state of major ritual impurity (janaba – intercourse or similar thing which needs bath to purify), purify yourselves (by taking a bath). And if you are sick or on a journey or one of you comes from the answering of call of nature, or you have had contact with women, and you find no water, then go to clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with some of it. Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you and to perfect His grace upon you that you may give thanks.) (Quran Surah Al-Maidah :6)
In this Ayah of Quran the order for cleanliness of cloths has been delivered.  "Keep your clothes clean." (Quran 74:4)
The Qur'an insists that the believer maintain a constant state of purity:  In this Quranic verse ( Ayah)  how to get cleaned has been described. "Believers! When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are ritually impure bathe your whole body." (5: 6)
 Prophet ( Peace Be Upon Him) has mentioned as narrated "Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer." (Bukhari) Narrated AbuMalik al-Ash'ari:

Faith (Iman) is Cleanliness

In this saying , the how important is cleanliness in point of view of religion is mentioned. Cleanliness is described as half of Iman(faith). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Cleanliness is half of faith and Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) fills the scale, and SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah) and Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) fill up what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves. (Sahih Muslim Book 2, Number 0432)

Wudu (Ablution)

The basic form of purification for prayer is called “Wudu” (Ablution). Then begin with Miswak (soft thin stick of plant to brush the teeth) and say Bismillah ( In the Name of Allah).
These are the steps to be performed in the similar order
1.     While making intention for Wudu pour the water on your both palms and wash those up to wrist and run finger through the fingers.
a.      ( All actions of Wudu ( except for the wiping of the head and the ears may be performed 1,2 or 3 times)
b.     Make sure no part of your hands is left dry.
2.     Rinse mouth thoroughly, then inhale water into the nose with your right hand and clean it with your left hand
3.     Wash the face completely
4.     First wash your right hand including elbow.
5.     Then wash your left hand including elbow.
6.     Wipe both your wet hands over your head, from front (Forehead) to the back (Nape of your neck) and from back to the front (Once only)
7.     Wipe inside of your index finger and outside of both ears with your thumb finger. (Once Only)
8.     First wash your right foot thoroughly including the ankles and run fingers of through the fingers of foot with little finger of left hand from above to below.
9.     Then wash your left foot thoroughly including the ankles and run fingers of through the fingers of foot with little finger of left hand from above to below.

I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone and I testify that Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) is His slave and His Messenger. (Muslim)

O Allah make me among those who repent and make among those who keep (themselves) pure. ( Tirmidhi)

 

What nullifies Wudu

1.       Passing of wind, urine, excrement.
2.       Deep sleep.
3.       Touching private part without any cover.
4.       Eating camel’s meat.
5.       Flow of blood, or pus from any part of the body;
6.       Mouthful-vomiting;
7.       Loss of one’s senses due to fainting or madness.
8.       Laughing aloud in Prayers (Salat)
When in doubt do not renew the Wudu unless you are absolutely sure that your Wudu has been invalid.
Whenever water is not available or water is just enough for drinking or the water is unhealthy, in such situation Tayammum( dry ablution) can be performed.
Make Niyat (intention to purify yourself in the heart) then start by saying “Bismillah”. In the Name of Allah
1.     Place the palm of both hands on clean earth or dust e.g.; wall or stone.
2.     Then blow into your hands.
3.     Wipe the palms of both your hands over the face.
4.     In the last wipe your right palm with your left palm.
5.     Make Dua.

When bath is Compulsory and How to take bath

GHUSL (A COMPLETE BATH)
This is when all parts of the body are washed with water, including the mouth and the nose.
  These are the steps to be performed in the similar order
6.     Wash your hands up to wrist thrice.
7.     Wash and clean private parts.
8.     Make Wudu as mentioned above.
9.     Then pour some water and wash body, pour the water on head and all over the body and clean it thrice.
10.Rinse mouth thoroughly, then inhale water into the nose with your right hand and clean it with your left hand thrice.

When BATH (GHUSL) is obligatory

1.     Semen discharge in all circumstances.
2.     Sexual intercourse.
3.     Menses
4.     After Childbirth (((By Zia Ahmed Khan)))

 

   

Judaism

Modern scholars view the Torah as having four authors (or groups of authors):

• "J" (for Jehovah) called God Yahweh and was likely from Judah. He was responsible for much of Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers.
• "E" (for Elohim) used Elohim (God) instead, and was likely from Israel. He wrote the rest of Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers. J and E were probably integrated soon after 722 bc.
• "D" represents the Levite priests who put together Deuteronomy. It probably dates from not long before 622, when King Josiah "discovered" it.
• "P" (for priestly code) covers geneologies and rituals in the preceding books, plus Leviticus. It was probably written not long before King Josiah died, in 609. Some believe "P" may have been Jeremiah.
• "R" (for redactor) combined J, E, and P into the first four books of the Torah, and then added D. Some scholars believe he may have been Ezra.

Cleanliness in Judaism

·         The Hebrew Bible has many rituals of purification relating to menstruation, childbirth, sexual relations, nocturnal emission, unusual bodily fluids, skin disease, death, and animal sacrifices. Modern mainstream Judaism is based on a combination of the Hebrew Bible and Jewish oral law, which includes the Mishnah and Gemarrah (together comprising the Talmud) in addition to other rabbinic commentaries; this oral law further specifies regulations for ritual purity, including obligations relating to excretory functions, meals, and waking. The regulations of biblical and oral law generally prescribe a form of water-based ritual washing in Judaism for removal of any ritual impurity, sometimes requiring just washing of the hands, and at other times requiring full immersion; the oral law requires the use of un-drawn water for any ritual full immersion - either a natural river/stream/spring, or a special bath (a Mikvah) which contains rain-water.

·         These regulations were variously observed by the ancient Israelites; contemporary Orthodox Jews and (with some modifications and additional leniencies) some Conservative Jews continue to observe the regulations, except for those tied to sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem, as the Temple no longer fully exists. These groups continue to observe many of the hand washing rituals. Of those connected with full ritual immersion; perhaps the quintessential immersion rituals still carried out are those related to nidda, according to which a menstruating woman must avoid contact with her husband, especially avoiding sexual contact, and may only resume contact after she has first immersed herself fully in a mikvah of living water seven days after her menstruation has ceased.

·         In December 2006 the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of Conservative Judaism re-affirmed the traditional requirement that Conservative women ritually immerse following menstruation. In doing so, it adopted multiple opinions regarding details, including an opinion reaffirming traditional (Orthodox) practices and concepts, an opinion adapting certain leniencies including counting seven days from start of menstruation rather than its end, and an opinion reformulating the theological basis of the practice, basing it on concepts other than ritual purity. See the Niddah article for details. Classical ritual immersion and associated requirements are generally not observed by Reform Judaism or Reconstructionist Judaism, with the exception that both generally include immersion as part of the ritual for Conversion to Judaism, although Reform Judaism does not require it.

·         Tumat HaMet ("The impurity of death"), coming into contact with a human corpse, is considered the ultimate impurity, one which cannot be purified through the waters of the mikvah. Tumat HaMet required purification through sprinkling of the ashes of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer. However the law is inactive, since neither the Temple in Jerusalem nor the red heifer is currently in existence, though without the latter a Jew is forbidden to ascend to the site of the former. All are currently assumed to possess the impurity of death. However, someone who is a Kohen, one of the priestly class, is not allowed to intentionally come into contact with a dead body, nor approach too closely to graves within a Jewish cemetery.

·         Karaite Jews are the only Jewish movement that continues the observance of the laws of ritual purity as they are written in the Torah.

·         The Hebrew Bible has many rituals of purification relating to menstruation, childbirth, sexual relations, nocturnal emission, unusual bodily fluids, skin disease, death, and animal sacrifices. Modern mainstream Judaism is based on a combination of the Hebrew Bible and Jewish oral law, which includes the Mishnah and Gemarrah (together comprising the Talmud) in addition to other rabbinic commentaries; this oral law further specifies regulations for ritual purity, including obligations relating to excretory functions, meals, and waking. The regulations of biblical and oral law generally prescribe a form of water-based ritual washing in Judaism for removal of any ritual impurity, sometimes requiring just washing of the hands, and at other times requiring full immersion; the oral law requires the use of living water for any ritual full immersion - either a natural river/stream/spring, or a special bath (a Mikvah) which is directly connected to one.

·         These regulations were variously observed by the ancient Israelites; contemporary Orthodox Jews and (with some modifications and additional leniencies) some Conservative Jews continue to observe the regulations, except for those tied to sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem, as the Temple no longer fully exists. These groups continue to observe many of the hand washing rituals. Of those connected with full ritual immersion; perhaps the quintessential immersion rituals still carried out are those related to nidda, according to which a menstruating woman must avoid contact with her husband, especially avoiding sexual contact, and may only resume contact after she has first immersed herself fully in a mikvah of living water seven days after her menstruation has ceased.

·         In December 2006 the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of Conservative Judaism re-affirmed the traditional requirement that Conservative women ritually immerse following menstruation. In doing so, it adopted multiple opinions regarding details, including an opinion reaffirming traditional (Orthodox) practices and concepts, an opinion adapting certain leniencies including counting seven days from start of menstruation rather than its end, and an opinion reformulating the theological basis of the practice, basing it on concepts other than ritual purity. See the Niddah article for details. Classical ritual immersion and associated requirements are generally not observed by Reform Judaism or Reconstructionist Judaism, with the exception that both generally include immersion as part of the ritual for Conversion to Judaism, although Reform Judaism does not require it.

·         Tumat HaMet ("The impurity of death"), coming into contact with a human corpse, is considered the ultimate impurity, one which cannot be purified through the waters of the mikvah. Tumat HaMet required purification through sprinkling of the ashes of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer. However the law is inactive, since neither the Temple in Jerusalem nor the red heifer is currently in existence, though without the latter a Jew is forbidden to ascend to the site of the former. All are currently assumed to possess the impurity of death. However, someone who is a Kohen, one of the priestly class, is not allowed to intentionally come into contact with a dead body, nor approach too closely to graves within a Jewish cemetery.

Christianity

·         Christianity (from the Ancient Greek word Χριστός, Khristos, "Christ", literally "anointed one") is a monotheistic religion^[1] based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings.^[2] Adherents of the Christian faith are known as Christians.

·         Christianity teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, God having become human and the saviour of humanity. Because of this, Christians commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah.^[4] The three largest groups in the world of Christianity are the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the various denominations of Protestantism. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox patriarchates split from one another in the East–West Schism of 1054 AD, and Protestantism came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, splitting from the Roman Catholic Church.

·         Christianity began as a Jewish sect in the mid-1st century. Originating in the eastern Mediterranean coast of the Middle East (modern Israel and Palestine), it quickly spread to Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Egypt, it grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the 4th century had become the dominant religion within the Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was Christianized, with Christians also being a sometimes large religious minority in the Middle East, North Africa, Ethiopia and parts of India. Following the Age of Discovery, through missionary work and colonization, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, sub Saharan Africa and the rest of the world. In order to follow Jesus' command to serve others, Christians established hospitals, churches, schools, charities, orphanages, homeless shelters, and universities in the areas in which they spread Christianity.

·         Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible, referred to as the "Old Testament" in Christianity. The foundation of Christian theology is expressed in the early Christian ecumenical creeds which contain claims predominantly accepted by followers of the Christian faith. These professions state that Jesus suffered, died, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead to open heaven to those who believe in him and trust him for the remission of their sins (salvation). They further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven where he rules and reigns with God the Father. Most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge all humans, living and dead, and grant eternal life to his followers. He is considered the model of a virtuous life, and both the revealer and physical incarnation of God. Christians call the message of Jesus Christ the Gospel ("good news") and hence refer to the earliest written accounts of his ministry as gospels.

Cleanliness in Christianity

·         Baptism, as a form of ritual purification, occurs in several religions related to Judaism, and most prominently in Christianity; Christianity also has other forms of ritual purification. In older churches, and modern Roman Catholic churches, there are a number of lavers around the building for the laity to use as ritual symbolism of cleansing themselves, usually by dipping the fingertips in the holy water, and then making the sign of the cross. In traditional liturgical churches a laver, often embedded in the wall, exists for the priest and deacon to wash their hands before celebrating the Eucharist.

·         Many ancient churches were built with a large fountain in the courtyard. It was the tradition for Christians to wash before entering the church for worship. This usage is also legislated in the Rule of St. Benedict, as a result of which, many medieval monasteries were built with communal lavers for the monks or nuns to wash up before the Daily Office.

·         Traditionally, Christianity adhered to the biblical regulation requiring the purification of women after childbirth; this practice, was adapted into a special ritual known as the churching of women, for which there exists liturgy in the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, but its use is now rare in Western Christianity. The churching of women is still performed in a number of Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.

·         Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and High church Anglicans are also traditionally required to regularly attend confession, as a form of ritual purification from sin, especially as preparation before receiving the Eucharist. For Catholics, this is required at least once a year and required for those who are guilty of unconfessed mortal sins.

·         In Reformed Christianity, ritual purity is achieved though the Confession of Sins, and Assurance of Forgiveness, and Sanctification. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers offer their whole being and labor as a 'living sacrifice'; and cleanliness becomes a way of life  (the Washing of the Feet).