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The Importance of Cleanliness in Hajj
Author : Dr. Safwan Odaybat
Date Added : 30-09-2024

 

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

When we read Allah's Words (What means): "O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid." [Al-A'raf/31], we understand Islam's emphasis on cleanliness for the Muslim at every act of worship. The verse instructs the believer to adorn themselves before every prayer. Why before every prayer? Because prayer is a meeting between the servant and their Lord, and it is not befitting for a Muslim, who intends to meet Allah, to be negligent in their external and internal cleanliness. Furthermore, praying in the mosque is a communal gathering for the worship of Allah, so if one person neglects their body or clothing's cleanliness, they may harm others around them.

Hajj is one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam. A Muslim exerts effort in preparing themselves to perform this obligation, and they may travel from faraway places, bearing the difficulties of travel with a good spirit, hoping to reach the sacred lands. Their heart is filled with hope to perform the Tawaf around the Kaaba, the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, to pray in the two holy mosques, stand in Arafat, stay in Mina and Muzdalifah, and throw the pebbles — all while imploring Allah for acceptance and His pleasure. However, is it befitting for such a Muslim, who strives for inner purity, to neglect their outer cleanliness?

Islam is the religion of cleanliness and purity, and Allah the Almighty loves those who purify themselves, as He Says in His Book (What means): "Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves" [Al-Baqarah/222]. Purity includes the purity of the heart, body, and environment. A Muslim's heart is pure from hatred and malice, their body is pure from dirt and impurities, and their environment is kept clean, whether in their home, mosque, or on the street — and certainly, in the holiest of places: Mecca, Medina, and the sites of Hajj, where people gather from all over the world.

Cleanliness is part of faith. It brings joy to the hearts of believers and brings ease to the spirits of Muslims. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Cleanliness invites towards faith, and faith accompanies its companion to Paradise." [Al-Tabarani in Al-Awsat). Cleanliness is also a form of Da’wah (Inviting people to the religion of Islam), inviting the world to see: "We are the most refined of nations; look at our cleanliness during Hajj despite the millions of people." Muslims returning from Hajj share with others stories of the cleanliness of the pilgrims of the Sacred House, showing how Muslims stand out among the people. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are coming to meet your brothers, so improve your gear and clothing so that you stand out like a beauty spot among people, for Allah does not like vulgarity or indecency" [Abu Dawood].

Yes: "so that you stand out like a beauty spot among people". A beauty spot is a distinct, aesthetically pleasing feature on the body. Similarly, a true Muslim is distinguished in everything — in cleanliness, in their walk, in their speech, and in their actions. This way, they stand out like a beauty spot among the people.

Once, someone criticized Abu Al-Hasan Al-Shadhili for his beautiful appearance while that person was dressed in shabby clothing. Abu Al-Hasan responded: "My appearance says 'Alhamdulillah,' while your appearance says 'Give me from your worldly possessions.'"

Let us make the Hajj season a school where we learn cleanliness in all its meanings: cleanliness of the heart, cleanliness of the body, and cleanliness of the environment. Let us be role models for others in this regard, so that the whole world may learn from us the meaning of cleanliness when they witness and hear about the cleanliness of Muslims during Hajj. This is a great door of invitation to Allah.

When we return from Hajj, we should be the cleanest of people, reflecting that cleanliness in our homes, streets, and environments. This way, we take steps towards Islamic advancement and civilizational progress. Praise be to Allah for His bounty and peace and blessings be upon the purest of all creation, our Master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on forgiving a tenant next month's rent, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh al-māl?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It does not fulfill the obligation to count the rent owed on a house, or a portion of it, in lieu of zakāh. Rather, it is necessary to first transfer ownership of the zakāh amount to the poor person directly; only afterward may he be asked to pay the rent [from that money].
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 112): "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]."
We would also remind [the reader] of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him [to harm]. Whoever attends to the needs of his brother, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will attend to his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on one who died owing debts and left no wealth? Is it obligatory upon the heirs to settle these debts?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The general rule is that if a person dies owing rights to other people, such as debts, these are settled from his estate, if he left any wealth, before the estate is divided. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The believer's soul is suspended by his debt until it is settled for him.” Graded ḥasan by al-Tirmidhī. Repayment of debts takes precedence over the heirs’ right to inheritance.
If the deceased left no estate, or left wealth that was insufficient to cover his debts, it is not obligatory for the heirs to pay from their own wealth, but it is recommended for them to do so, because the deceased’s dhimmah (legal liability) remains occupied by the debt. It is reported in some narrations that he remains held in suspension until his debt is paid, and it is not part of filial righteousness for a child to leave his father’s dhimmah burdened with debt.
All of the children may contribute to settling the debt on behalf of their father and cooperate in doing so, even in installments, according to their ability. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on discharging one's zakāh obligation through the provision of a specific benefit (manfa‘ah) — such as performing a surgical operation for a patient, or providing housing to a tenant, and counting the value of this service as zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory to pay zakāh from the actual asset (‘ayn al-māl) upon which zakāh is due, except in the case of zakāh on trade goods ('urūḍ at-tijārah), which is paid based on their monetary value. In all cases, zakāh must be given in the form of tamlīk (a full transfer of ownership), based on the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (which mean): "Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy, and for those employed to collect [zakāh], and for bringing hearts together [for Islam], and for freeing captives [or slaves], and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler — an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" [at-Tawbah/60]. The letter "lām" (لِ) in this verse — as in "lil-fuqarā'" ("for the poor") — indicates possession/ownership (lām al-milk).
It is not permissible to fulfill one's zakāh obligation by providing a benefit or service (manfa‘ah) — such as housing, education, or medical treatment — in place of the zakāh itself. This is because zakāh must be paid as wealth (māl) that is transferred into the ownership of the poor recipient, whereas such services are intangible benefits that are not, in themselves, capable of being formally transferred in ownership (ghayr qābilah lit-tamlīk). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is Zakah (obligatory charity) due on land intended for selling?

Yes, lands intended for trade are valued, and Zakah is paid according to their estimated value after a lunar year had lapsed, but if the owner didn`t pay the due Zakah, then he should do so after selling them.

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