In the Qur'an, Allah gives a detailed account of the behavior, superior morality, and state of mind unique to believers. The fear of Allah that believers harbor in their hearts, their unchallengeable faith and unflagging pursuit of Allah's good pleasure, the trust they place in Allah, as well as their commitment, zeal, reliability, and many similar superior qualities, are provided by the Qur'an. Moreover, in His Book Allah praises such moral qualities as justice, compassion, modesty, temperance, perseverance, submission to Him, and avoidance of worthless talk.
Along with giving a detailed account of the model believer, the Qur'an dwells upon the lives of past believers and tells us how they prayed, behaved, talked among themselves and with others, and reacted to events. Through these examples, Allah draws our attention to those manners and conduct that please Him.
Considered from the standpoint of a society far removed from the Qur'an's definition of morality (a society of ignorance), socially acceptable behavior may vary according to time, conditions, cultures, events, and people. However, the character of those who adhere to the Qur'an's commands remain the same regardless of changing conditions, time, or location. A person of faith always complies with the Qur'an's commands and admonitions, and thereby displays moral excellence.
In this section, we will provide examples of behavior that Allah considers praiseworthy. However, rather than analyzing all of the character traits of believers that are discussed extensively in the Qur'an, we will draw attention to the subtleties of moral excellence and the divine purposes hidden in these subtleties.
The Concept of Cleanliness
Allah tells believers to clean themselves, for such a condition suits their spiritual state and nature. Cleanliness, considered a form of worship by believers, is therefore a source of great relief and pleasure to them. In many verses, Allah draws attention to believers' spiritual and physical purity. Our Prophet also stressed the importance of being clean: "Cleanliness is half of faith" (Muslim). Below are some of the details related to being clean:
Spiritual Purity
The Qur'anic understanding of cleanliness differs considerably from how it is understood in the society of ignorance. According to the Qur'an, being clean is a state experienced in one's soul. Such a cleanliness means that one has been entirely purified of his or her society's moral values, form of reasoning, and lifestyle that are in conflict with the Qur'an. In this way, the Qur'an provides spiritual relief to the believers.
This first step of being clean manifests itself in the mind's clarity. No doubt, this is a very important quality. The spiritual purity people experience in their souls manifests itself in all aspects of life, and thus makes such people's moral excellence obvious to everyone.
Spiritually pure people distance their minds from all forms of evil. They never experience malice, jealousy, cruelty, and selfishness, all of which are evil feelings adopted and displayed by those who are far from the Qur'an's concept of morality. Believers possess noble spirits, because they yearn for moral excellence. This is why, apart from their physical appearance, believers also pay attention to the purity of their souls, by deflecting from it all of the evil coming from ignorance, and encourage others to do likewise.
Physical Purity
In this world, believers seek to establish an environment similar to that of Paradise. They seek to experience in this world anything that Allah promises to grant them in Paradise. As we understand from the Qur'an, physical cleanliness is one of the qualities possessed by the people of Paradise. The verse, "youths like hidden pearls" (Surat at-Tur: 24) is self-explanatory. In addition to this, Allah informs us in many verses that in Paradise there will be "spouses of perfect purity" (Surat alBaqara: 25).
Another verse in which Allah draws attention to physical cleanliness is the one that refers to Prophet Yahya,
Furthermore, physical cleanliness is important because it shows one's respect for other people. Indeed, respecting other people requires taking care of one's physical appearance. Believers do not only abstain from filth, but also display subtleties that emphasize their profound respect for others. One way to show this respect is to wear clean clothes. Allah commands us in the Qur'an, as follows:
Children of Adam! Wear fine clothing in every mosque...
Thus, in this issue and others, being physically clean and well groomed and, in this sense, seeking for the best, are qualities that please Allah. Such qualities are unimportant to the people of ignorance. Also, our Prophet expressed Allah's approval of such qualities in the following hadith: Someone asked: "How about a person who likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" Allah's Messenger replied: "All of Allah's Affairs are Beautiful, and He likes beauty." (Muslim)
We should be aware of the following point: People generally tend to be at their best when meeting or trying to impress people they consider important. However, due to the Qur'an's morality, believers find such careful grooming essential because it fully accords with their desire to please Allah.
Believers are worthy of Paradise and, in this world too, they engage in a constant effort to keep their bodies and surroundings clean so that they may attain the purity and beauty of Paradise in this world.
Keeping One's Environment Clean
Muslims are meticulous when it comes to keeping their immediate surroundings clean. One example of this is given in the Surat al-Hajj, in which Allah commands the Prophet Ibrahim to keep the Ka'abah clean for believers who worship in its vicinity: And We located the position of the House for Ibrahim:
"Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My House for those who circle it and for those who stand and bow and prostrate."
As the verse also maintains, such environmental cleanliness is maintained primarily for other believers who will perform their acts of worship to earn Allah's good pleasure. Thus, all believers who follow in Ibrahim's footsteps should keep their dwellings clean and tidy, for doing so gladdens a believer's heart.
The Qur'anic concept of cleanliness differs markedly from the one held by the societies of ignorance. Allah commands believers to be "clean and purified," in both the physical and the spiritual sense. In other words, this is not cleanliness in the classical sense; rather, it is an elaborate effort.
The Qur'an's depictions of life in Paradise are also instructive in this sense. Paradise's environment is purified of all forms of the dirt that we see around us. It is a blissful and perfectly clean place where each detail exists in perfect harmony with every other detail. In light of these illustrations, believers seek to keep their surroundings clean and turn them into places that remind them of Paradise. This endeavor is solely a manifestation of their aspiration for Paradise.
Eating Clean Food
Consuming clean food is a Divine command that is inherent in all believers:
Eat of the good things that We have provided for you...
In addition, Allah relates the account of the People of the Cave to point out that believers tend toward clean food. As we read: ... They said:
"Your Lord knows best how long you have been here. Send one of your number into the city with this silver that you have, so that he can see which food is purest and bring you some of it to eat..."
