O Muslim woman, be the most beautiful

There is no religion gave much attention to cleanliness and purification of the body like Islam where the instructions and the texts of Islam exhort people to care for purification.

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Truly, Allâh loves those who turn to Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 222].

Islam counts cleanliness and purification half of the faith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Cleanliness is half of faith." [Reported by Muslim].

Be beautiful among women:

Islam loves for Muslims to be in good image and condition before people, distinct in their clothes, appearance, and all their behaviors, therefore Muslims are good looking as a reflection of their good inner selves which are filled with faith.

It was reported in the Hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to his Companions while they were coming from a journey: "You are returning to your brothers, so set your saddles and clothes so that you look tidy and good looking among people because Allah does not love untidiness.'' [Reported by Abu Dawud].

So, the Prophet (peace be upon him) considered bad looking, messy shape, negligence of good appearance, and worn-out clothes something disliked by Allah and abhorred by Islam and the people.

This is true because cleanliness is one of the most important causes which doctors confirm its role on the conservation of public health and prevention of many diseases.

The cleanest and the most beautiful of all women:

If this is the case with Muslims in general, how would be the case with Muslim wives in their houses and with their husbands when they hear the Prophet's answer to the one who asked him about the best of women, he replied: "The one who pleases her husband when he looks at her." [Reported by Imam Ahmad].

When a Muslim woman hears this Hadith, she rushes to please her Lord and her husband by reaching that high level of goodness through cleaning herself, her house, and her children.

Furthermore, she rushes to beautify the spots which her husband sees whether in her or in her house, so her husband becomes happy and satisfied because of what he sees: Beautiful appearance, nice clothes, nice odor, combed hair, clean and white teeth behind lips full of beauty and freshness.

A Muslim wife is the most beautiful and the cleanest among the entire world wives because Islam wants them to be beautiful for their husbands and because they do not deserve less than this by the permissible means.

Moreover, they cannot be negligent in their houses and in their appearance.

A noble character glitters by good looking:

A smart Muslim woman is clean and elegant and cannot neglect neither in herself nor in her home.

She does not forget herself or her house in the middle of the burdens which she handles in all affairs, whether housework or else, believing that her good looking before her husband is one of its most important priorities and of the causes of her goodness as was reported in the Hadith.

Her care for her home is one of the most important liabilities, understanding that the tidy and good looking are more suitable to her noble character and beautiful personality, moreover taking care of her good looking indicates her understanding to her character and denotes her taste and far-sightedness of her role in life.

She does not justify to herself [due to her burdens and liabilities] to be negligent in herself, her private kingdom [home], or her husband.

It is useful to mention some instructions of the Shari`ah for happy homes which will help you for continuous and renewed glittering, and reserve your cleanliness and beauty for you as well as your home. We review them as follows:

1- Cleanliness of body and clothes:

A Muslim wife is the cleanest of women because they take bathes frequently in intervals responding to the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who encouraged to perfect ritual purification bath and applying perfume, especially on Friday.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Take a bath on Friday and wash your heads (i.e. take a thorough bath) even though you were not Junub (a person who had sexual intercourse but still did not have a ritual purification bath), and use perfume." [Reported by Al Bukhari].

They are clean in their clothes and stockings, so they do not like to have bad odor coming out of their armpits or feet, but continuously clean them, apply perfume, and receive their husbands with nicest clothes because it is not permissible for them to receive their husbands with their house clothes which are full of sweat, dust, and food odor.

They care for the cleanliness of their teeth so as their husbands do not smell bad odor from them, therefore they clean them twice a day at least with siwak or any kind of purifiers and detergents.

They should be keen to the safety of their teeth against caries and haste to treat them at need in order to be clean, white, and of good smell when they speak or smile to their husbands.

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

"The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not get up after sleeping by night or by day without using the tooth-stick before performing ablution." [Reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud]. Such care should be for the entire body, especially their beautiful faces.

2- Undertaken the house with cleaning, arrangement, and beautification:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed Allah is Pure and loves the pure. He is Clean and loves cleanliness. He is Generous and loves generosity, so keep your courtyards clean and do not imitate the Jews." [Reported by At-TirmidhyGharib (a Hadith with a single narrator usually at the beginning of the chain of narration)]. and said: This is Hadith

A Muslim woman cares for the cleanliness of her house and keeps it tidy and arranged to look in good image, and elegant without exaggeration or extravagance.

So, when their husbands see them, they find them tidy, good looking, and of good odor; and that can be achieved by the following:

1- Frequent cleaning and purifying the house and its furniture, especially the bathroom and the kitchen.

2- Daily ventilation of the house and purifying it from food odor.

3- Elimination of any insect.

4- Paying attention to put things in their correct places to find them easily at need and give a good impression to the husband.

5- Doubling the attention to bedroom so as to look always good to the husband.

6- Continuous arrangement of husband's things whether related to his work or not, and avoid to show annoyance of them.

3- Bedroom has a special status:

A Muslim wife, whose only goal is to please her husband and make him happy, does not save efforts to make the bedroom a paradise for the husband by not only cleaning and tidying it, but also by adding feminine touches to it such as decoration, beautification, and perfuming, in addition to the feminine art of dealing with her husband which makes a husband loves his wife and yearn to come back home.

Then, you spend the night happy and comfortable and that generates sincerity and loyalty between you.

Finally, be always ready to receive him, make him happy, and satisfy him whenever he wants and when your appearance is not appropriate because of housework, seek his pardon, go to your bathroom or your bedroom, prepare yourself, apply perfume, and go back to him in the best image and good appearance to please him.

Increase your interest in adorning to him all the time as long as he is in the house and not at going out or when receiving guests.

Make your children get used to see your little kingdom clean and tidy and to see you in the best shape and the best adornment when he comes home as long as you cover the spots of allurement before your kids taking into account the conditions of your adolescents.

Resources:

1- The personality of a Muslim woman as shown by Islam in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, Dr. Muhammad Ali Al Hashimy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Edition 1, 1425 AH.

2- Women in the Islamic concept, Dr. `Abdul-Muta`al  Muhammad Al Jabry, Wahbah bookstore, Cairo, Edition 10, 1414 AH - 1994.

3- Muslim manners, Muhammad Al Ghazaly, Alexandria - Ad-Da`wah Printhouse, Edition 3, 1411 AH - 1990.