In many narrations, significant attention is given to the issue of hair, which relates to the beauty and ugliness of a person’s appearance:
A: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to apply oil to his hair and sometimes comb it, and he ordered others to do the same.
B: The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Everyone who has hair should respect it; this means keep it free from pus.”
C: A man with a bare head and a disheveled beard came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, “Hasn’t he found oil with which to smooth his hair from this disordered state?” He added: “One of you comes in such a condition; it seems to be evil.”
Imam al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “If pus and vermin (lice) gather in the hair of the head, it is recommended to clean them with water, combing, and rubbing oil, and to cut the unevenness of the hair.” It is stated in a famous narration that: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, never traveled without a comb and a mirror during his journeys and stays.
Yes, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was commissioned by Allah to call people, and one of his duties was to take care of himself, his appearance, and to respect himself so that people would not despise or underestimate him. He should not be a source of aversion to others. Therefore, it is necessary for every inviter to adorn his appearance in such a way that it does not provoke hatred and disgust from others.
Armpit Hair: Cleanliness of this area is maintained by cutting hair for those who are accustomed to cutting it or by shaving, which should be done at most every forty days.
Hair Under the Navel: This can be cleaned by shaving or cutting, and it should not be delayed for more than forty days.
The skin surrounding the navel and the penis of boys should be cut to prevent irritation and the accumulation of germs. Cutting nails is recommended when they are long and unsightly.
Cleaning the pus on the wrinkles of the wrists and joints of the fingers, as well as pus on the tips of the fingers and around and under the nails, is of such importance in Islam that neglecting it reportedly caused the angel of revelation not to come. Pay attention to the following narration: “The Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, experienced a delay in revelation when Gabriel descended upon him. Gabriel said: ‘How can I descend upon you when you do not clean the pus from the joints, the tips of the fingers, and around the nails, and your yellow teeth? You do not brush your teeth; order your people to do these things and clean the pus from their nails.’ The pus created by sweat and dust on the body is ordered to be cleaned by taking a bath.”
Approved (Masnun) Ablutions (Ghusl)
To enhance and generalize body cleanliness, Islam has prescribed many types of ablutions, which include:
