• "The dossier of the man who abstains from spitting and...

●"The dossier of the man who abstains from spitting and blowing his nose in the masjid, will be in his right hand on the Day of judgment". • "Either take proper care of the long hair of your head or clip them". • "Do not grow long moustaches, for the devil finds a shelter in them". Imam Ali (P) has said: "It was the practice of the Holy Prophet to rinse his mouth, throat and nose with water. It makes one's mouth and nose clean". "Remove cobwebs from your house, for they cause poverty.

" "The removal of the hair of the arm‑pits is a part of cleanliness. Doing so destroys bad odour of that part of the body". Imam al Baqir (P) has said: "Cleaning of the house banishes misery". Imam al Sadiq (P) has said: "Brushing the teeth is a tradition of the prophets". "To trim the finger‑nails was a practice of the holy Prophet". Some one said to Imam al Sadiq (P) that his friends had told him that the moustaches and the finger‑nails should be trimmed on Friday.

The Imam said: "Trim them whenever they grow". The holy Prophet has forbidden cutting the nails with the teeth. "If possible, your bath‑water should be so clean that you may even drink it". Imam al Kazim (P) has said: "To take bath every second day makes a man healthy and strong".

Other traditions forbid urination and excretion on the banks of a river, in front of a masjid, on the streets and roads, where the travellers stay, in the graveyard, under the fruit trees, in a standing position, with face or back towards the qiblah (direction of Ka'bah), on hard ground, in the dens of animals, within public view, in front of a house or a thoroughfare etc. (The topic of cleanliness and purity has been discussed at length in the book ISLAM ‑ A Code of Social Life. ISP, 1980).

On the whole, there are many Islamic injuctions in connection with health, hygiene and nutrition and about the cleanliness of air and environment. We give below a few examples: • Wash fruit before eating it. • Do not eat food while it is too hot. • Observe regularity in regard to food. • Do not gulp water in one single draught. Drink it slowly. • Do not puff up water or hot food. • Take small morsels of food and chew them well. • Wash your hands and mouth before and after every meal.

●Do not take food without having appetite and stop eating a little before the stomach is full. • Keep food and water covered. • Massage your body regularly. • Use perfume and rub oil over your body and the hair of your head. • Comb and dress the hair of your head.

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