Teaching Kids about Cleanliness in Islam

Last week, my youngest one asked me how to take wudhu. I was so happy helping her to learn how to take a wudu before salah. Alhamdulillah.

The steps of taking wudhu are:

• Making Niyyah (Intention) that you are making Wudu' for Salaat and begin by saying. "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah).
  
• Washing both hands up to the wrist three times, the right hand first and then the left, and making sure that water has reached between the fingers.
  
• Rinsing and gargling the mouth three times;
  
• Washing the nose into three times;
  
• Washing the face beginning from the forehead to the bottom of the chin, three times;
  
• Washing your right arm and then your left arm thoroughly, from the forearms up to the elbows three times;
  
• Wiping wet hands over the head from front down to the neck, only one time.
  
• Then passing the wet tips of your index fingers into the grooves and holes of both ears and also pass the wet thumbs behind the ears (three times).
  
• Washing the feet including the ankles three times, making sure that water has reached between the toes and back of the feet. Do the right foot first and then the left.
  
• Doa
  
  أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدَهُ وَرَسُولَهُ
  
  "Ash-hadu an la ilaha illal lahu wah dahu la shariikala wa ash-hadu anna Muammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh."
  

Cleanliness In Islam

We, as parent, are responsible in teaching our kids about cleanliness.
Cleanliness, more importantly starts from keeping our body clean.
We have to take a bath and to clean and to wash thoroughly our private parts and bodies.

Teaching cleanliness should start with personal hygiene. Children should learn the importance of hygiene and the various diseases when they are very young age. It is essential to teach them certain habits like washing hands with soap and water before meals, regular brushing of teeth, using the toilet, taking a bath, and taking wudhu (an ablution).

In our community, children should follow certain rules such as keeping our surroundings clean and avoid littering in public places.
Children should be taught to keep public places clean just as their houses. They should not be allowed to litter at public places like parks and roadsides. We also should teach them how to use and to clean when they go to the masjid restrooms just the way they do at home.


In Islam the Arabic term for purity is Taharah.
Al Qur'an insists that the believer should maintain a constant state of purity.

Cleanliness in Islam emphasis in both its spiritual and physical. On the physical side, Islam requires the Muslim to clean his body, his clothes, his house, and the whole community. Allah will reward for being clean. On the spiritual side, Muslim should clean their heart and soul.

• Cleanliness In Al Qur'an
  
  
  • "Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean." (2: 22)
    
    
  • "Keep your clothes clean." (74:4)
    
    
  • "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)
    
    
  • "Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify them." (9: 103)
    
    Charity is a way of purifying ours wealth. A Muslim should give charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5% alms-tax.
    
    
  
  
  
  
• Cleanliness In Hadiths
  
  
  • Narrated AbuMalik al-Ash'ari:
    
    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)
    
    
  • "Don't ever come with your hair and beard disheveled like a devil." [Al-Tirmidhi]
    
    
  • "Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer." (Bukhari)
    
    
  
  
  
  
• How and What To Clean
  
  
  • Ghusl (a complete bath)
    
    This is when all our parts of the body are washed with water, including the mouth and the nose.
    
    
  • Wudhu (ablution)
    
    This is when certain our parts of the body are washed with water.
    
    "Once I went up the roof of the mosque along with Abu Huraira (RA): He performed ablution and said, "I heard the Prophet (S) saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be called Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalun from the traces of ablution and whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so (by performing ablution in the most perfect manner.'"
    (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Hadith No. 138)
    
    This hadiths show us that the important of wudhu (ablution) in Islam.
    
    Narrated Uthman ibn Affan:
    "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.'" (Sahih Muslim, Book 2, Number 0476)
    
    
  • Tayammum (purification without water)
    
    
  • Removing Hairs and Cutting The Nails
    
    We do not want to look alike an animals because of our hairs and nails growing long.
    
    Prophet (peace be upon him). He said, "From the acts of nature are five: circumcision (obligation for men, but not for women), removing pubic hairs, trimming the mustache, cutting the nails and plucking the hair from under the armpits."
    [Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
    
    It is not allowed to leave them for more than forty nights. This is based on the Hadith of Anas who said, "The Messenger of Allah set a time limit for us for trimming the mustache, trimming nails, removing armpit hairs and removing pubic hairs. They cannot be left for more than forty nights." [Recorded by Muslim].
    
    
  
  

We should always keep reminding our children the importance of hygiene and how to maintain it.
You can give your children rewards, such as sticker or sweets or small gift, for every effort from time to time.

Useful links:

• The Important of Wudhu
  
• How to Teach a Child About Cleanliness
  Cleanliness
  
• Book about Matthers of Heart and Soul
  
• Kitab Al Taharah / The purification
  
• Watch How to Wudhu
  
• Audio - Purification
  
• Supplication
  

May Allah always keep us clean and in state of wudhu ready for salah/prayer.
Amin.