Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 262
262 is to promote the spread and propagation of, or investi- gations and research into, sciences, learning, arts, etc. Thirdly, those established for the purpose of settling disputes and removing causes of friction whether in domestic, national, political or international spheres. This includes associations for the purpose of studying and directing the political affairs of a nation or a coun- try, for, their object also is to promote peace among mankind. Islam teaches that on all occasions when men come together in large numbers, particular attention must be paid to cleanliness and hygiene and the feelings and susceptibilities of others in the matter of personal tastes and inclinations. For instance, nobody should go to a meeting or a gathering after eating or, using articles the uses of which are likely to offend the tastes or feelings of others, such as onions, raw garlic, tobacco, etc. Everybody should bathe and put on clean clothes and, if possible, use some pleasant perfume before proceeding to the place of concourse or meeting, so that the air may be purified and a pleasant and cheerful atmosphere may be promoted. People should not sit very close together lest their breathing should offend each other. People suffering from infectious diseases must keep away from such occasions and places, lest infection should spread. Special stress is laid on this injunction. It is related that the caliph Umar ra prohibited a man suffering from leprosy from proceeding to the Ka‘ba to perform the prescribed circuits and told him to spend the greater part