WASHING THE HANDS, A SUBLIME SUNNAH

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbās رضي الله عنهما has narrated that our Noble Master Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said; “Washing the hands before and after meals repels poverty, and it is the Sunnah of all the Ambiyaa عليهم السلام.”
(Majma’ Vol 5, Page 13)

Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه has related that our Beloved Master Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم has said; “The person who desires that his home be filled with goodness should wash his hands before and after partaking of meals.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol 2, Page 234)

NOTE: Washing the hands before and after meals is a Sunnah. Even if a person’s hands are clean, he should still wash them. When utilising forks and knives, the need to wash one’s hands is not perceived, hence a person robs himself of great benefits. Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله has created hands for us, with which we could eat, and attain the benefits attached to washing them before eating.

AN AMAZING STORY…
A pious man narrated that he had a debt of 300 rupees and due to straitened circumstances, could not imagine how he would ever be relieved of his burden. Sitting one day in the discourse of an Aalim, he heard him say that whoever washes his hands before and after eating, in view of it being a Sunnah of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, will ان شاء الله be relieved of his debts in a short span of time. The pious man adopted the above procedure, and through the grace of Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله, he was absolved of all his debts in a few days time.

(SOURCE: Ash-Shamā’il al-Kubrā)

Modesty, attachment and humility demands of us that we emulate the blessed Sunnah of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم; in this is our solution and salvation. We need to thus ask ourselves whether we are desirous of blessings or do we wish to remain obstinate in our ways. The choice of ease and difficulty is in our ikhtiyaar (control).