Chapter III: Mysteries of Cleanliness
the orifice. He should then move to another place and perfrom the act of abstersion with water. At the end of abstersion, he should say : O my God, purify my heart from hypocrisy and make my private part pure from indecencies, he should then wipe his hand against earth or wall till odour is removed therefrom. The use of stones and water are both desirable. It is related that when God revealed the verse (9 : 109) : "Therein are men who love purity and God loves the pure/ the Apostle of God said to the people of Quba : What is the purity for which God has praised you ? They said : We are accustomed to use both stones and water after calls of nature.
MANNER OF ABLUTION
He shall commence with the use of tooth stick. The Prophet said : Your mouths are the pathways of the Quran. Cleanse them therefore with stick. The Prophet said : Prayer after the use of tooth stick is better than prayer without its use by seventy five times. He said : Had it not been difficults for my followers, I would have ordered them to use tooth stick before every prayer.
He said : Why should I not see you with yellow teeth ? The Prophet was accustomed to use tooth stick several times every night. Hazrat Ibn Abbas said : The Prophet has so repeatedly commanded us to use tooth stick that we thought that soon a revelation would come for its use. The Prophet said : Use tooth stick, as it purifies the mouth and please God. Hazrat Ali said :
Use of tooth stick increases memory and removes phlegm. The companion of the Prophet used to keep tootch stick in their ears even at the time of journey.
It is desirable to use the tooth-stick before every prayer and every ablution, before and after sleep, after eating anything of unpleasant smell. After the use of tooth-stick face the Ka'ba for ablution and then say : In the name of God, the Merciful, the most Compassionate. The Prophet said : There is no ablution for one who does not take the name of God, that is complete ablution. He should then wash his hands three times and should say : O God, I ask Three for luck and blessing and seek refuge to thee against ill-luck and destruction. He shall rinse his mouth thrice with water and say afterwards : O God, help me to read Thy Book and glorify Thy name. Then he shall take up water and cleanse his nose thrice and say : O God. grant me to enjoy the fragrance of pardise while Thou art pleased to promise it with me. At the time
128 MYSTERIES OF CLEANLINESS , Vol-I