Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 254
254 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad distance oneself from something. This teaches us that those who desire spiritual purity must be physically clean and pure. For one strength affects another and one characteristic affects another. The Effect of Physical Cleanliness upon the Inner Self There are two states of man. Anyone who desires to develop an inner state of righteousness and purity must also be physically clean as well. In another in- i. e. I am a friend إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ :stance, Allah the Exalted states of those who desire inner and outward purity. Physical cleanliness encourages and fosters inner purity. If an individual is neglectful in this respect and does not clean themselves after defecating for example, they would not develop the slightest inner purity. Hence, remember that outwardly cleanliness is necessary for inner purity. Therefore, it is necessary that in the least, one bathes once a week on Friday, performs the ablution before every Prayer, and uses fragrance before joining the congregation for Prayer. The instruction to make use of fragrance on the two Eids and on Friday is for this very purpose. The actual reason is that where there are large congregations, there is a danger of the spreading of filth. Therefore, bathing, clean clothes and fragrance, will I prevent the spread of noxious matter and filth. Just as Allah the Exalted has instructed this during one's lifetime, He has established a similar rule after death. The Properties of Camphor Muslims apply camphor to the bodies of the dead in accordance with the custom of the Holy Prophets, because camphor is a material which kills epidemic bacteria and noxious elements. It cools the human body and prevents the spread of diseases that arise from filth. This is why the Quran states that believers will be given the cold drink of camphor. Modern research has also established that just as camphor is beneficial in cholera, it is beneficial in the case of plague as well. I would like to inform my community that this is an extremely beneficial substance. It is my belief that since the Holy Quran has informed us that camphor cools the sensation of burning, and also soothes and relaxes the heart, this encourages us to make use of camphor. A new discovery has established 1 al-Baqarah, 2:223