In the tapestry of Islamic practice, the concepts of purity and cleanliness are woven into the very fabric of daily life. Purification holds a central place in the hearts and minds of believers, serving as both a spiritual and physical cleansing ritual. It is a means to draw closer to the Divine and a reflection of the profound connection between the inner and the outer, the physical and the spiritual. The book you hold in your hands, "Purification and Purity in Islam," embarks on a journey into the heart of these sacred practices. In the following pages, we delve into the multifaceted art of ablution, an essential act of purification, and Siwak, the age-old practice of oral hygiene. These rituals are not mere acts of cleansing; they are pathways to purity, sanctity, and nearness to the Divine.

This exploration of Islamic spirituality delves into the psychological diseases and cures of the heart. Diseases examined include miserliness, envy, hatred, treachery, rancour, malice, ostentation, arrogance, covetousness, lust, and other afflictions that assail people and often control them. The causes and practical cures of these diseases are discussed, offering a penetrating glimpse into how Islam deals with spiritual and psychological problems and demonstrating how all people can benefit from these teachings.

In The Mysteries of Purification (Kitab asrar al tahara), the third of the forty books of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya' 'ulum al-din), Abu Hamid al-Ghazali explains the fundamentals of the purification that is necessary in order to perform the five daily prayers.