The connection between Islam and Hygiene may appear strange. However, there is strong connection between the two. Rather, it may be said that the modern science is catching up with and aligning towards Islam in the areas of solution, preventive measures and recommendations for proper hygiene of human beings. 

The Holy Qur’an clearly declares that ‘Allah loves those who purify themselves’. [Al-Qur’an 9:108]. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said, ‘Cleanliness is half of faith.’ In another tradition he is reported to have said, ‘The key to paradise is prayer and key to prayer is cleanliness. So cleanliness has direct relationship with faith and is a precondition for going into paradise.’

MODERN WORLD AND ITS SCIENCE: It would be interesting to know what modern science has to say about hygiene, particularly with reference to disease control and prevention. The number one recommendation for disease control, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, is hand-washing as the single most effective method of preventing the spread of infections. According to germ theory of infections developed in 1909, the recommendation to control spread of infection from human to human is to cover our nose and constantly wash our hands. 20,000 people die each year due to lack of infection control and it entails $500 trillion to treat infection due to improper infection control. Modern science learnt these lessons by trial and error after paying heavy casualties of human life and property.

Our body is teaming with germs. Human body both on and inside is host to 90 trillion germs, comprising 100,000 species of bacteria and fungi. We are their home planet. For example, our teeth contain 500 cell thick layers of bacteria and our eye lashes contain bacteria. Of course, every bacterium is not bad, as many of them do immense service to us. But many of them are threat to our health and endanger our life.

One of the biggest calamities in human history happened in 1347 CE, known as Black Death, the Bubonic Plague causing 20 million deaths in Europe, wiping out about 1/3rd of its population. Benefit of Quarantine was discovered then and applied to sailors for 70 days. Such restriction on movement is applied to all and sundry including those who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, but do not have a confirmed medical diagnosis. It is unlike medical isolation, in which those confirmed to be infected with a communicable disease are isolated from the healthy population. 

Notable quarantines in modern history beside the bubonic plague outbreak in England include  East Samoa during the 1918 flu pandemic and the 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak. And now we are already in the extensive quarantines applied throughout the world during the 2019-2020 COVID-19 pandemic.