MAN IS CLEAN

All the members of human species (Homo sapiens), Muslims or
non-Muslims, male or female, white or black, are clean inherently, in their
lives and after death as well.

Allah Almighty says:

“Therefore, stand firm in your
devotion to the upright faith – the nature made by Allah, the one on which
mankind is created – and the laws of Nature ordained by Allah cannot be
changed. That is the standard of true faith, but most among mankind do not
know.” [30:30]

 “We have indeed created man
in the best stature.” [95:4]

“It is Our favour that We have
honored the children of Adam, blessed them with conveyances on land and sea,
provided them with good and pure things and exalted them above many of Our
creatures.” [17:70]

Definitely, ‘good and clean things’ are provided for a clean
creature, instead of impure.

“Today all good clean things have
been made lawful for you; and the food of the People of the Book is also made
lawful for you and your food is made lawful for them. Likewise, marriage with
chaste free believing women and also chaste women among the People who were
given the Book before you is made lawful for you, provided that you give them
their dowries and desire chastity, neither committing fornication nor taking
them as mistresses. Anyone who commits Kufr with Iman (rejects faith), all his
good deeds will be in vain and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.”
[5:5]

The cleanliness of the food of the People of the Book and chastity
of their women, shows that they are clean.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) said, “Every
infant is created on the nature (of Islam), then his parents convert him to
Judaism, Christianity or Magianism (Zoroastrianism).”

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.7181]

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) met me on the
way at Madinah while I was Junub (Post-sex impurity). I avoided him and went
away. I came to him after taking bath. He said to me, “Where you have been 
Abu Hurairah?” I said, “I was Junub (polluted) and I disliked sitting with you
in the state of impurity.” The Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings
and peace on him) said, “Allah is free of flaws, indeed, the believer (the
Muslim) is not unclean.”

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.7210, 8956, 10087, Sahih Bukhari:H.283, 285,
Sahih Muslim:H.371]

Huzaifah bin al-Yaman (May Allah be pleased with him) reported
that the Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) met
him on the way at Madinah while he (Huzaifah) was Junub (Post-sexual impurity).
He (Huzaifah) avoided him and came to him after taking bath and said that he
was Junub (that was the reason of avoiding), the Allah’s Apostle (May Allah
shower His blessings and peace on him) said, “Verily, the Muslim is not unclean.”

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.23653, 23811, Sahih Muslim:H.116, 372, Sunan
Abu Dawood:H.230]

Sayedah Ayeshah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported that the
Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) asked me to
spread a sheet for him in Masjid. I said to him, “I am undergoing menstrual
period.”

He said, “Your menses do not occur in your hand.”

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.24688, Sahih Muslim:H.298]

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that Thumamh
bin Uthal (May Allah be pleased with him) was captured by a troop from Najd,
while he was an idolater. He was tied with a pillar of Masjid Nabawi, before he
converted to Islam.

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.9832]

Abdullah bin Abbas and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with
them) reported that the Jews of Khaybar offered mutton to the Allah’s Apostle
(May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) that was actually toxic. He
accepted it and when he took a limb, he was informed that it was toxic. He
stopped eating at once and ordered his Companions to stop.

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.9826, Sahih Bukhari:H.3169, Sunan Abu
Dawood:H.4510, Sunan Darmi:H.68]

Jabir bin Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that
we used to fight along with the Allah’s
Apostle         (May Allah shower His
blessings and peace on him) and we found the utensils for eating and drinking
of the polytheists then we used them, but no body would detest it.

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.15119, Sunan Abu Dawood:H.3838]

Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Ukaydir of Dumat-ul-Jjandal gifted a silk dress or cloth to the Allah’s Apostle
(May Allah shower His blessings and peace on him) and he gifted it to me for my
wives.

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.1077, Sahih Muslim:H.2071]

All these evidences prove that the bodies of unbelievers, their
utensils and clothes are pure originally. However, they do not avoid certain
impurities in general, so it is recommended to wash their utensils and clothes
before using them.

Abu Tha’alabah al-Khushni (May Allah be pleased with him) reported
that I said, “O’ Allah’s Apostle (May Allah shower His blessings and peace on
him) we live in the country of the People of the Book, indeed they eat pork and
drink wine, so what we do with their utensils?” He said, “If you do not find
the utensils except theirs, then wash them with water and cook in them and
drink.”

[Musnad Imam Ahmad:H.17889]

The following Quranic Ayah should not be confused with the
cleanliness of disbelievers.

“Verily, the idolaters are impure so do not let them come near the
Sacred Mosque after their final year (of peace-treaty) …” [9:28]

The majority of Muslim scholars believe that this Ayah refers to
the dirty beliefs and actions of idolaters. This Ayah has nothing to do with
the cleanliness or impurity of their physical bodies.

[Muhammad bin Ali Al-Shawkani, Nayl-ul-Awtar: 1/79, Dar Ihya
at-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, 2001 CE]