Maintaining the Characteristics of the Fitrah
Date: 2008-02-15
Format: text
Identifier: http://www.islamworld.net/fitrah.html
Language: en
Subject: tazkiyah
Title: Maintaining the Characteristics of the Fitrah
Created on: Wed Jan 09 15:07:30 -0500 2008
Updated on: Fri Feb 15 15:40:32 -0500 2008
Version: 3
Abstract: ... ng (the Laws of ) the creation of God." (Holy Qur'an Chapter 30, Verse 30) In this verse, God Most High also identifies the fitrah with the way of the hanifa, which means the way of Pure Monotheism as practiced by Abraham, peace be upon him. The religion of Abraham and all of the prophets, peace be upon them all, was one of the true fitrah, in which they worshipped Almight God alone without intermediaries or an incarnate "Savior". Since it is obligatory on Muslims to following the commands of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and give him peace, as the previously mentioned verses from Qur'an clearly state, all Muslims should make every effort to comply with and maintain the characteristics of fitrah as described by God's Messenger, may God bless him and give him peace, when he said: "Five practices are characteristics of the fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hairs, cutting the mustaches short, clipping the nails and plucking the hair of the armpits." (Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.) This same saying of God's Messenger is further elaborated upon in Sahih Muslim, where 'Aisha, may God be pleased with her, reports that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and give him peace, said: "Ten are the practices of fitrah: clipping the mustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick (siwaak), snuffing water up the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubic hairs and cleaning one's private parts with water." The narrator said: 'I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth.' In regards to the circumcision, it is desirable that it be done on the seventh day after the birth of the child. It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and give him peace, circumcised Hasan and Hussain, the two sons of Fatimah and 'Ali, may God be pleased with all of them, on the seventh day after their birth. However, there is no harm in delaying the circumcision until later. It is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari that Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, performed his own circumcision at the ag... [Full Article...]
