Posted by: theMajlis

TAHAARAT. NAZAAFAT AND LATAAFAT

There is no surprise in this because an inherent attribute of kufr is spiritual and physical najaasat. Kufr and Najaasat can coexist in the same substratum in a harmonious relationship.

Tahaarat in the meaning of the Shariah is the Muslim’s state of superb cleanliness. In the highest state of Tahaarat he is free from hadth, janaabat and najaasat-ehaqeeqi. Hadth is the state of being without wudhu. Janaabat is the condition of greater impurity when ghusl is compulsory. Najaasat-e-Haqeeqi refers to physical substances of impurity, e.g. faeces, urine, blood and pus.

A lesser or imperfect state of Tahaarat is the state in which the Muslim is in hadth, i.e. without wudhu, although he iss free of janaabat and najaasat-e-haqeeqi. In this state of lesser Tahaarat it is not permissible for him to touch the Qur’aan Majeed or even an aayat written o­n a page, nor is it permissible for him to enter a Musjid.

Every Muslim is expected to be in the perfect state of Tahaarat 24 hours of the day. He is at all times surrounded by enemies — physical enemies whom he can see with his corporeal eyes, as well as spiritual enemies whom he cannot see with his eyes. The spiritual enemies and dangers are calamities descending from above, evil jinnaat, evil acts of sihr by sorcerers / magicians, etc. Hence, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Wudhu is the weapon of the Mu’min." The Mu’min should at all times carry with him his weapon.

With regard to Nazaafat, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Verily, Allah is Nazeef. He loves nazaafat. Therefore, make nazeef (i.e. clean thoroughly) the portion of the ground infront of your homes."

Nazaafat is a state of purity/cleanliness higher than Tahaarat. Before proceeding with the explanation of Nazaafat, this Hadith is very significant in this regard. Islam requires the Muslim to maintain the cleanliness of even the ground outside his house—the ground which is not even his property. Nowadays, municipalities are supposed to carry out this function.

When the emphasis of the Deen is o­n nazaafat of the space outside the house, then the Mu’min will readily comprehend the greater emphasis o­n nazaafat of the inside of his home, and the even greater emphasis o­n the nazaafat of his bedding, his clothes and his body. When this has been understood, then it will be easy to understand the far greater emphasis of maintaining the nazaafat of the soul, nafs and heart. Acquisition of spiritual nazaafat is the function of Tasawwuf, discussion of which is not intended here.

Nazaafat is a finer state of cleanliness above Tahaarat. Without Tahaarat, there can be no nazaafat because Allah Ta’ala Himself is Nazeef. Nazaafat does not unnecessarily tolerate even such garments which are taahir/paak but which are soiled with pure substances, e.g. food, dust or reeking with the smell of fish, which occurs when o­ne comes out from a fish-shop, etc. The attitude of Nazaafat does not tolerate untidiness, whether in the garments or in the home. Nazaafat demands that everything be free from untidiness and any vestige of uncleanliness. For example, having separate sandals for the interior of the home and the toilet; not walking into the house with muddy shoes although the mud may be perfectly taahir; ensuring that every nook and cranny of the home is free from dust, grime, cockroaches and the like. Such acts fall within the purview of Nazaafat.

The Mu’min is supposed to imbue in him both attributes —Tahaarat and Nazaafat. Allah Ta’ala is Nazeef, hence He loves Nazaafat of which Tahaarat is an imperative requirement.

Lataafat is a state of fineness or delicateness which is a spiritual state of ‘cleanliness’ and purity of the celestial Soul. Its opposite is termed kathaafat which means density. A person with untidy habits, be he in the state of Tahaarat, is termed Katheefut Taba’ (of dense and grossly untidy disposition). Cleanliness is a strange concept to such a person.

Lataafat is generally an inherent attribute in some people. This attribute attains greater fineness with Taqwa. It goes without saying that Tahaarat and Nazaafat will at all times be with a person in whose disposition (tabiyat) there is Lataafat. The following examples of attitudes will better illustrate the meaning of Lataafat.

— The feeling of nauseousness when seeing another person using a toothpick in public.

— Feeling nauseous when someone speaks about impurities while having meals.

— Some people, instead of tissue paper, place a toilet roll o­n the dastarkhwaan since it is cheaper than tissue paper. A person of Lataafat is irritated and feels nauseous at the sight of a toilet roll placed next to the food because it draws his attention to the toilet. (Dastarkhwaan is the cloth spread o­n the floor o­n which the food is laid. It is a tablecloth, but laid o­n the floor, not o­n a table in non-Muslim style.)

— The inability to tolerate the smell of paraffin and similar other substances. The Akaabireen always instructed that a paraffin lamp should not be placed in the Musjid nor should a candle be lit with matches inside the Musjid. If there is a need for a candle, light it outside the Musjid. The smell of the sulphur and paraffin is highly disturbing to the Malaaikah who are always in the Musaajid. The Angels are beings of the highest degree of perfection in Lataafat, hence o­nly oil lamps are used in the Musaajid where there is no electricity.

— Hadhrat Mirza Jaan Jaanah (rahmatullah alayh) was shot by a bid’ati. He succumbed to the bullet wounds and died after a few days. o­n his death bed, someone asked him about his condition. He responded: ‘Alhamdulillah! I am fine. However, the stench of the gunpowder in the bullet (which was still lodged in his body) is causing me great distress." From this, o­ne can understand the Lataafat in him.

— In the early part of the British occupation of India after they had defeated the Muslims, the forces of aggression had apprehended a member of the royal family. He was sentenced to death by hanging. o­n the day he was to be executed, he pleaded to be taken to the gallows through a certain street which was inhabited by a community of scavengers (bhangis) whose occupation was to remove faeces buckets and the like. The street through which they led him had a horrible stench of faeces and rotting hides. As they were taking him through the street, the young prince collapsed and died. The ostensible cause of his death was the terrible stench which his brains could not tolerate. Having a very subtle disposition of Lataafat, the young prince was convinced that he would die with the horrible stench in the neighbourhood of the scavengers. It would save him the ignominy of hanging from the gibbet.

— A Shaikh was very fond of grapes. o­nce his mureed brought some grapes as a gift. The Shaikh lifted a grape to his mouth, but quickly put it down without even tasting it. He commented: "The smell of dead bodies comes from these grapes." Everyone present was surprised at this comment. What relationship do dead bodies have with grapes? The Shaikh asked the Mureed: "From where did you get these grapes?" The mureed said that he had picked the grapes from a tree growing in the qabrustaan. The Shaikh commented: "Did I not say that these grapes had the smell of dead bodies?"

— The habit of showering after cleaning a toilet although this is not an incumbent requirement, is due to the attribute of Lataafat. In fact, the Shariah exhorts the cultivation of Lataafat, hence it is Mustahab to take ghusl after having given ghusl to a dead body although o­ne does not become impure by bathing a dead body.

— Becoming irritated when seeing a person eating gluttonously.

There are innumerable examples of Lataafat. This is an attribute in most Auliya. It is a product of Taqwa and it is also inborn, but gain greater subtlety with Taqwa.