Cleanness in Islam

Some of the recommendations of Islam for preservation of hair include:
Combing the hair: It has been mentioned in the Sirah of the prophet that whenever he wanted to go outside home or hosting someone, he used to comb his hair, make himself neat and take adornment and when he wanted to see his picture he used to look at a bowl of water. Some asked the reason and he said: “Surely God loves the servant that when goes to meet his brothers he make himself clean and beautiful''.
Cutting the hair: As having hair is a sign of being neat and beautiful, cutting it is also an example of orderliness. I asked Imam Sadiq: Did the Holy Prophet use to part the hair? He said: “No the hair of the Prophet was long to his earlobe''.
Washing: Imam Sadiq says: Wash the head with Hollyhocks every Friday will make you immune to leprosy and madness.
Using strengthening materials and deodorants: in the narrations, to maintain and improve the health of hair, using some of the plants and the like has been recommended. It is narrated that the Holy Prophet, Hasan Ibn Ali and Imam Baqir used to dye her hair with a special dye called "katam". Imam Sajjad used Henna to dye hair.
It has also been narrated that the Holy Prophet used different kinds of oil and before the beard he used to use it for his hair. He used perfumes too and its effect was totally apparent on his beard and head.
2. Beard
According to a hadith by Imam Hassan, the Holy Prophet had thick beard. Also in describing the appearance of Imam Ali it has been said that he had white and thick beard without being extremely long.
Disapproval to shaving the beard: The Holy Prophet considers shaving the beard as the example of dismemberment and says: “Shaving the beard is an example of dismemberment and anyone who shaves it will be cursed by God”. Today, health experts have expressed much harm caused by shaving the beard in their books. Including thin layer of skin will be created on the face, septic pimple, abscess, infection, damage to the gums.
Combing the beard: On the benefits of combing the beard Imam Sadiq says: “And combing the hair will make the grinder tooth strong''.
Size of the beard: Since the available evidence, has not certainly determined a certain size for the beard, but from some narrations, it is possible to infer a size or amount for it. It has been quoted from Imam Sadiq that he said: “draw together your beard with your hand and trim it in the best preferred size”. According to this tradition growing beards too much is not good.
B) Fragrance and makeup
Among the items which are considered as a part of Islamic tradition, is the use of perfume or deodorants materials. Imam Ridha says: “The good scent is of the ethics of the prophets”. He also says: “There shouldn’t be any man who leaves using perfumes everyday''.
I t has been narrated that when the Holy Prophet used to pass any place for some time the good smell filled the air in a way that people could understand the Holy Prophet had passed there.
C) The neatness of dress and using rings
The tidy and beautiful and if possible the ironed clothes, clean and polished shoes and using rings that especially the opal and turquoise that has been recommended in Islam are among the things which have an important role in the beauty and neatness of man.
1. Clothes
In Islam it has been recommended to fold the clothes at night. Imam Sadiq says: “Fold your clothes at night because if they are not folded Satan will wear them at night''.
2. Shoes
Also, Islam enjoins to choose a good and appropriate shoes and considers its benefits as protecting the body and means to help the praying and being clean. Imam Sadiq narrates from his fathers that the Prophet says: “Anyone who wears shoes, must tighten it enough to keep the feet”. And Imam Ali says: “Wearing the shoes protects the body and helps man in praying and being clean''.
3. Ring
Including the recommended actions in Islam is wearing ring. Imam Sadiq says: Wearing rings is of the Sunnah''.
About the type of ring and its role in the traditions of the Imams some recommendations have been mentioned. The Holy Prophet says: “Wear a ring with an agate stone so that as long as you’re wearing it, no kind of sadness and grief will come to you''.
Another important point is that when someone goes to the toilet the ring which has the name of God on it should be worn on the hand that man doesn’t use it to wash himself. Imam Ali says: Whoever has a ring with the name of Allah written on it, should take it out from the hand that he used to wash himself in the restroom''.
The final point: is that according to different tastes of people, nations and schools in different times and places, norms and moderation is the best criteria; In such a way that neither avoid generally from neatness, cleanliness and adorning the body, clothes and life furniture nor consider it as a principle in such a way that all their of the efforts and money is spent on decorating and luxury and to be inclined to luxurious and noble life. Both of them, is negligence and extremism and reprehensible. The Commander of the Faithful introduces the best model of adornment as: “In fact the best kind of style is the one which doesn’t mix you with people and makes you beautiful among them and refrains them from talking about you''.
3. Nutrition
References
A) Eating good and Halal food
Halal nutrition is a clean and healthy food that the responsible believer provides it for himself, his family and children’s nutrition and this itself is a big responsibility that has been shouldered by the father, husband or chief of a family. Some people asked about the verse “Then let mankind look at his food” Surat 'Abasa [verse 24] he replied: “He should look at his knowledge that from whom he gains it''.
The issue of nutrition is of great importance in Islam, especially that rearing offspring and education of children is dependent on it and is closely related to it.
B) Not eating too much
Islam also forbids eating too much and has recommended moderation in eating. The purpose of not eating too much in traditions is not physical weakness, but it means consuming food to the needed amount (balanced) so that a person can have a healthy body; because nowadays some young people eat very little food to have thin body so their body lacks nutrients and in the future they will be affected to physical problems such as osteoporosis, anemia, chronic headaches, weakness and dizziness, etc. Regarding not eating too much food Imam Ali says: “Not eating too much will prevent from many diseases''.
Imam Sadiq says: “The stomach will be outburst because of eating too much and the closest manner to God is when man eat a little bit and the most hostile manner for the servant is when his stomach is over full''.
The hadiths states that eating too much in addition to having a bad effect on the human body, has a devastating negative impact on the soul of human beings, so a believer must keep the balance in eating.
4. Entertainment (freshness and vitality)
As we discussed at first, the health of the soul is not only one of the health-related dimension of human nature – because man has two dimensions – but also it is more important than physical health. The reason for this importance is several things: First, that the creation of man and his existence is his divine spirit; second, the physical health of people will not only be achieved in light of observing the health issues and material factors of disease, but some of the factors for the prevention of diseases, include non-material factors as well. As it has been narrated from Imam Reza when people commit a new sin which they weren’t doing it before God will afflict them with a new [disease] and hardship. Third, based on the principle of justice and moderation, everyday affairs of human life must be adjusted in a way that all internal and external forces of grow up together; because man is not like a machine to work round the clock but he must consider sometime for resting so that can maintain his freshness and vitality and at the beginning of the day start working with more energy otherwise he will be weaker day by day and his efficiency will be reduced. Accordingly, the Imam Kazim says:
“Try to divide your daily time into parts: 1. a part for supplication to God 2. A part for earning a living 3. A part for companionship with brothers and those trusted people who tells you about your faults and are sincere to you in their heart 4. And a pert for your privacy to enjoy Halal affairs and [not harmful entertainment] and by having this part you have the power to do other parts as well''.
A variety of factors are involved in human psychological and spiritual health. Imam Sadiq says: Entertainment is in ten things: walking, riding, immersing and swimming water, looking at the grass, eating and drinking, looking at a beautiful women, sleeping with your spouse, tooth brushing, talking to men.
References
A) Traveling
Travelling is of the entertainment which makes you happy and is a factor of being healthy. The Holy prophet says about it: “Travel to be healthy”. Because of new experiences and scientific explorations and releasing tiredness is influential in the growth and development of man. The Holy Quran in more than ten verses has ordered the people to travel on earth so that they can become familiar with the past events and people and understand the reason of the destruction of the societies and the arrival and downfall of civilizations: “So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear?” Surat Al-Haj [verse 46].
According to this verse, it is as if finding an aware heart and strengthening physical condition is not possible without travelling and it prepares the ground for intellectual maturity.
In the poems attributed to Imam Ali, he has noted five properties for travelling:
Travel and don't be like a bird that when its foot is tied with a pair of shoe it cannot move anymore. Travel nut the purpose of your journey must be seeking highness and superiority that is achieving virtues and perfection. There are five benefits in travelling: being freed from sadness, earning a living, gaining knowledge and morals and companionship.
It was narrated from Imam Sadiq that he said:
It has been written in the book Al-Dawood Hikmah that man will not reach the lowest level except he does three things: providing the necessary things for the Day of Judgment, reforming his life and not enjoying sexually with forbidden women then he said a person who loves the world will be humiliated.
It can be implied from this narration that: First, the traveling must be purposeful; second, that traveling (travel purposes) has three types: a) travels to provisions for the Day of judgement such as pilgrimages (the house of God, the tombs of the prophets and Imams Holy shrines, kinship, meeting friends), scientific and research trips, martial trips (jihad); b)travels for being motivated regarding earning a living and doing career and economic activities c) travelling foe entertainment to eliminate job boredom and being freed from monotonous daily life.