We read in the Holy Qur’an: Assuredly, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance, and those who strive to purify themselves. [Q.2:222]

Given that the context of the verse is about women’s menstruation, the first thing included in the idea of purification, or taharah, is 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:

‘Know that purification has four levels: Firstly, to purify the body from ritual impurities, physical impurities and excretions. Secondly, to purify the limbs from sins and disobedience. Thirdly, to purify the heart from its odious traits and deplorable vices. Fourthly, to purify the innermost being from all else save Allah, exalted is He; this being the ultimate goal.’1

The verse tells us a fundamental principle, which is that Allah loves — and that in itself is a profound thing — 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’s basic beliefs concerning Allah and the meaning of life and the purpose of existence, by declaring the two shahadahs, the whole process of reshaping ourselves starts. And where does it begin practically in our tradition? It begins with the fiqh rules regarding the purity of water, and then to use this water to cleanse and purify our limbs according to the shari‘ah. Then, 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.

Is that all there is to purification, just the issues of fiqh al-taharah; of bodily hygiene? Absolutely not! For as we saw in Ibn Qudamah’s schematic, there’s much more to it. For beyond this level of taharah, there is restraining th limbs from what is unlawful (haram). This involves keeping our tongue, eyes and ears pure by averting our hearing or gaze, or caging our tongue, from what Allah has forbidden; doing so seeking His good pleasure or rida.

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 or insincerity in us, for instance. But so much of the time, the heart gets so rusted that we become desensitised to the heart’s vices. Unlike physical impurities, whose presence can be seen or smelt, this inner filth can’t be sensed by a person. We often require someone with a purer soul to point out to us that we are giving-off 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.

As for the fourth degree, which for the likes of us is almost unimaginable, it is keeping the heart focused on Allah and mindful of His presence in our life. 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.

A cardinal trait in our spiritual wayfaring, or suluk, 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:

‘The wayfaring of one seeking Allah and the Afterlife will not be sound except with restraints: Restraining one’s 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.’2

With that being so, the journey to Allah practically begins from the outside-in. It is with the fiqh rules of outward, bodily and ritua purification (taharah), along with a few other day-to-day shari‘ah duties, that true inward, spiritual purification (tazkiyah) is activated and gradually realised.

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1. Ahmad b. Qudamah, Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 2000), 30.

2. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, al-Fawa’id (Makkah: Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa’id, 2009), 74.