![\"\"](\"https:\/\/muslimmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2_222.png\")
<\/p>\nWe read about purification the Holy Qur\u2019an:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“And they ask you about menstruation. Say, “It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.<\/strong>“<\/em> [Surah Al-Baqarah;2:222<\/em>]<\/p>\n Given that the context of the verse is about women\u2019s menstruation, the first thing included in the idea of purification, or\u00a0taharah,<\/em>\u00a0is purification of the body from physical and ritual impurities. Scholars further include in it all the other types of purification, the consummate summary of which has been given to us by Ibn Qudamah, who wrote:<\/p>\n \u2018Know that purification has four levels:\u00a0Firstly,<\/em> to purify the body from ritual impurities, physical impurities, and excretions.\u00a0Secondly,<\/em>\u00a0to purify the limbs from sins and disobedience.\u00a0Thirdly,<\/em>\u00a0to purify the heart from its odious traits and deplorable vices.\u00a0Fourthly,<\/em> to purify the innermost being from all else save Allah The verse tells us a fundamental principle, which is that\u00a0Allah Is that all there is to purification, just the issues of\u00a0fiqh al-taharah;\u00a0<\/em>of bodily hygiene? Absolutely not! For as we saw in Ibn Qudamah\u2019s schematic, there\u2019s much more to it. For beyond this level of\u00a0taharah,\u00a0<\/em>there is restraining the limbs from what is unlawful (haram<\/em>). This involves keeping our tongue, eyes, and ears pure by averting our hearing or gaze, or caging our tongue, from what Allah The third degree moves us from the outward to the inward: the diseases and impurities of the heart. It is where we roll up our sleeves to spiritual combat the pride, vanity, hypocrisy, and\/or insincerity within us, for instance. But so much of the time, the heart gets so rusted that we become desensitised to the heart\u2019s vices. Unlike physical impurities, whose presence can be seen or smelt, this inner filth can\u2019t be sensed by a person. We often require someone with a purer soul to point out to us that we are giving off a bad spiritual odour. Otherwise, we are usually none the wiser. It is this obligatory, inner purification of the heart that begins to make all the difference.<\/p>\n As for the fourth degree, which, for the likes of us, is almost unimaginable, it is keeping the heart focused on Allah A cardinal trait in our spiritual wayfaring, or\u00a0suluk<\/em>, says Ibn al-Qayyim, is that of reigning in our desires; our tendency to step out of the light and into the shadows. He said:<\/p>\n \u2018The wayfaring of one seeking Allah With that being so, the journey to Allah ***<\/strong><\/p>\n [This article was first published here<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Related:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"sub\u1e25\u0101nahu](\"https:\/\/muslimmatters.org\/wp-content\/plugins\/islamic-graphics\/img\/black\/png\/swt.png\" "\\"sub\u1e25\u0101nahu")
, exalted is He; this being the ultimate goal.\u20191<\/a><\/sup>Ahmad b. Qudamah, Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 2000), 30.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n loves<\/em> \u2014 and that in itself is a profound thing \u2014 those who frequently turn to Him in sincere contrition and repentance, and those who actively purify themselves and who are purified. Thus, after purifying one\u2019s basic beliefs concerning Allah and the meaning of life and the purpose of existence, by declaring the two shahadahs,<\/em> the whole process of reshaping ourselves starts. And where does it begin, practically in our tradition? It begins with the\u00a0fiqh<\/em>\u00a0rules regarding the purity of water, and then to use this water to cleanse and purify our limbs according to the\u00a0shari\u2018ah.<\/em>\u00a0Then, at least outwardly, we are in a purified state to bow and pray. That is where it all begins. This is where the reshaping truly starts: with outward purification.<\/p>\n has forbidden; doing so seeking His good pleasure or rida.<\/em><\/p>\n and mindful of His Presence in our lives. Any distraction at this profound degree is a veil, almost like a sin, and hence a kind of impurity. Religion is about awakening to Allah . It is about vigilance and remembrance of Allah . Heedlessness is an impurity that must be cleansed. This is the fourth degree: to empty the heart of whatever distracts it from Allah .<\/p>\n and the Afterlife will not be sound except with restraints: Restraining one\u2019s heart to seek and want only Him, training it to turn away from all but Him. Restraining the tongue from whatever will not be of benefit to it, training it to constantly remember Allah and all that increases it in faith and knowledge of Him. And restraining the limbs from sins and doubtful acts, training them to fulfil the obligations and recommendations. He must not part with such restraints till He meets his Lord.\u20192<\/a><\/sup>Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, al-Fawa\u2019id (Makkah: Dar \u2018Alam al-Fawa\u2019id, 2009), 74.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n practically begins from the outside in. It is with the fiqh<\/em> rules of outward, bodily, and ritual purification (taharah<\/em>), along with a few other day-to-day\u00a0shari\u2018ah<\/em>\u00a0duties, that true inward, spiritual purification (tazkiyah<\/em>) is activated and gradually realised.<\/p>\n