clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, snuffing up water, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes, and intiqas, i.e. cleansing oneself with water.” The narrator said, “I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth.” Muslim transmitted it. A version substitutes circumcision for letting the beard grow. I have not found this version in the twoSahihs or in al-Humaidi’s book [Al-jam’ bain as-sahihain], but the author of the Jami‘ [Ibn al-Athir, author of Jami' al-usul]mentioned it. as did al-Khattabi in Ma'alim as-sunan* from Abu Dawud by the transmission of ‘Ammar b. Yasir.*Brockelmann, Geschichte ae arabischen Litteratur, Supp., I, 267, 275, calls this work Ma'alim as-sunna, but the title given above is more likely to be correct, as it is a commentary on Abu Dawud’s Sunan.
Purification: Commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih 379, 380
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This noble hadith enumerates ten natural dispositions (fitrah) that Allah has ordained for humanity. These practices purify both the body and soul, aligning the believer with the primordial nature upon which Allah created mankind.
The clipping of the moustache prevents food particles from accumulating and maintains cleanliness, while letting the beard grow distinguishes Muslim men and follows the prophetic way. The tooth-stick (siwak) purifies the mouth and pleases Allah. Snuffing water into the nostrils during ablution cleanses the respiratory pathways. Cutting nails and washing finger joints remove impurities that accumulate in these areas.
Plucking underarm hair and shaving pubic hair are essential for personal hygiene and removing sources of unpleasant odor. Intiqas refers to thorough cleansing with water after relieving oneself. The tenth practice, rinsing the mouth, completes the purification of the oral cavity alongside the tooth-stick.
The variant mentioning circumcision instead of growing the beard, while not found in the most authoritative collections, has been transmitted by reliable scholars. Circumcision holds great importance in Islam as it completes one's physical purity and follows the way of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). These ten practices collectively represent the comprehensive Islamic approach to physical and spiritual cleanliness.