aware of the importance of cleanliness under all conditions."
Zafar then asked: "Some people, even if they are clean and pre-
sentable, don't look the same all the time. For example, they may be
clean and presentable on holidays and certain other days, but the
rest of the time they look scruffy. How do they regard cleanliness?"
Uncle Hamid responded by saying: "Some people, although they
don't practice the morality of the Qur'an, are very careful about
cleanliness. But they are very different in their aims and intentions
from those who believe in Allah. The aim of those people is not to be
criticized by others and to look smart. Because they do not think of
pleasing Allah when they clean themselves, they do not pay atten-
tion to their cleanliness or their appearance when they are by them-
selves or with people they care nothing about. But a believer attaches
importance to cleanliness not to please other people but to please
Allah and to obey His command. Even if he doesn't see anyone for
days, he is always clean and well-groomed."
"Thanks for that information, Uncle Hamid," said Zafar: "I will
think about what you have said and write my homework right away,
and I will be more careful about my own cleanliness from now on."
Zafar went right home and began to write. He was really eager
to read what he had written to his friends at school. The joy and ea-
gerness he felt about telling his friends about the morality of the
Qur'an is one of the signs of a believer that should be seen in every
person of faith.
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