Tafsir of Al-Muddathir 74:4

"And your garments, purify." The purification of garments is a metonymy for purifying the soul from blameworthy actions and refining it from reprehensible states. For he who is not satisfied with the impurity of what touches his body, how can he be satisfied with the impurity of his soul? It is said that so-and-so is "pure of garment" and "clean of tail and sleeve" when described as being free from defects and corrupt morals. Conversely, it is said that so-and-so is "soiled of garment" or "greasy of garment" regarding the treacherous one and the one of evil conduct. From the first usage is the saying of the poet: And Yahya is not blamed for evil character, And Yahya is pure of garments, free.

And from the second is the saying: Nay, by Allah, may the family of Jahm Or a blameworthy person, be in greasy garments.

The words of the majority of the predecessors revolve around this meaning in the noble verse. Ibn Jarir and others recorded from Qatadah that he said regarding it: "It means purify them from sins." This is an Arabic expression; the Arabs, when a man committed treachery and did not fulfill a covenant, would say, "So-and-so is soiled of garment," and when he fulfilled it and reformed, they would say, "So-and-so is pure of garment."

Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Abu Malik that he said: "It means [purify] your soul." He and a group also recorded from Mujahid that he said: "It means: and your work, so reform it," and similar to this is reported from Abu Razin and al-Suddi. He and a group, including al-Hakim—who authenticated it—also recorded from Ibn Abbas that he said: "And your garments, purify," meaning: "from sin." In another narration: "from treachery," meaning: "do not be treacherous." In a narration by a group from Ikrimah, Ibn Abbas was asked about the saying of the Exalted, "And your garments, purify": "Do not wear them upon treachery or wickedness." Then he said: "Do you not hear the saying of Ghaylan ibn Salamah: For I, by the praise of Allah, have not worn the garment of a wicked one, Nor have I shrouded myself in treachery."

Similar to this is reported from al-Dahhak and Ibn Jubayr. From al-Hasan and al-Qurtubi: "And your character, so beautify [it]." They cited as evidence for the metonymy of the soul as garments the saying of Antara: I pierced with the long spear his garments, The noble one is not inviolable upon the spear.

In a narration from the "Scholar" [Ibn Abbas] and Ibn Jubayr, it is said that garments are a metonymy for the heart, as in the saying of Imru’ al-Qays: If a trait of mine has displeased you, Then pull my garments from your garments, and it shall depart.

It is said that it is a metonymy for the body, as in the saying of Layla, when she mentioned camels that were ridden by people who went away with them: They cast upon them light garments, so we do not see For them a likeness, except the fleeing ostriches.

The purification of the body may also intend the same meaning mentioned above. The relevance of these meanings to the station of calling [to Allah] is beyond doubt. It is said that based on the purification of garments being a metonymy for what has passed, this is a command to perfect the theoretical power after the command to perfect the intellectual power and to invite to it.

It is also said that it is a command to him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to adorn himself with good character that makes the warning acceptable, after the command—peace be upon him—to single out his Lord, the Exalted, with magnification (Takbir), which might suggest an aversion to lowering one's wing to anyone other than Him, the Exalted, and might imply a lack of concern or regard for anyone, let alone the enemies of Allah. Thus, the mention of "And your garments, purify" was to repel that assumption.

It is also said, upon the interpretation of al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One) as being cloaked in Prophethood and psychological perfections, that the meaning is: "Purify the cloaks of Prophethood and its traces and its lights, which shine from the niche of your essence, from what soils them, such as resentment, distress, and lack of patience."

Others said: "Garments" is a metonymy for the wives, as the Almighty said, "They are a clothing for you," and purifying them is from sins and defects through preaching and discipline, as He, the Exalted, said, "Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire." Others said: "Purifying them" means choosing the chaste believing women among them. Others said: "Intercourse with them in the front, not in the back, and in the state of purity, not in menstruation," narrated by Ibn Bahr; but the original saying, as I see it, is distant from the context. Then I saw that al-Fakhr [al-Razi] explicitly stated this.

A group held that "garments" is upon its literal meaning. Muhammad ibn Sirin said: "It means wash them with water if they are defiled." A similar report is from Ibn Zayd, and it is the view of al-Shafi'i—may Allah be pleased with him. Hence, many held the necessity of washing the garments of the person praying. The command to him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—as reported from Ibn Zayd, was in opposition to the polytheists, for they did not protect their garments from impurities.

It is said that [a polytheist] cast upon him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the intestines of a sheep, so it distressed him, and he returned home saddened and cloaked himself. Then it was said to him: "O you who are cloaked, arise and warn," and do not let that foolishness prevent you from warning, "And your Lord, magnify," for He will take revenge on them, "And your garments, purify" from those impurities and filth. The intention of purification from impurity for prayer without considering the [aforementioned] story is, as it is said, contrary to the apparent meaning, and the sentence does not match what precedes it except on the assumption that "magnification" (Takbir) means the magnification for prayer.

Some who interpreted garments as the body allowed for the literal meaning of purification, saying he—peace be upon him—was commanded to clean himself at the time of istinja (cleansing after relieving oneself), for the Arabs also did not clean their bodies from impurities, and many of them used to urinate on their heels. Some said the command is for an absolute request, for the purification of garments that are not pure is obligatory in prayer and beloved in other circumstances.

It is said that "purifying them" means shortening them. This is also a command to him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to reject the blameworthy customs of the Arabs, for their customs of lengthening garments and dragging trails out of pride and arrogance have died. The poet said: Then they departed, the scent of musk upon them, They sweep the ground with the fringes of their lower garments.

In the Hadith: "The believer’s lower garment is to the middle of his shins, and there is no harm in what is between that and the ankles, but what is below that is in the Fire." The use of "purification" for "shortening" is a metaphor due to its necessity; for lengthening them often leads to dragging their trails over filth. Some people made the shortening, once intended by purification, a metonymy for the absence of arrogance and vanity. This would be a command to him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to be humble and to persist in abandoning the dragging of the trails of pride and arrogance, following the command to single out pride and greatness for Allah, the Exalted, in word and belief. It is as if it were said: "And your Lord, magnify," while you do not act arrogantly, so that the matter of warning may be facilitated for you.

Some who see the possibility of combining literal and metaphorical meanings interpreted purification as both its literal meaning and its metaphor (shortening). Reaching such an intention for those who do not see the permissibility of combining them is easy. It is permitted that "purification" intends the removal of what is considered filthy absolutely, whether it is an impurity or otherwise—such as dirt—making it a command to him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to clean his garments and remove any dirt or anything else that is considered filthy, for that is repellent and does not befit the station of the Mission. This necessitates, a fortiori, cleaning the body of such things, and thus he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was the cleanest of people in garment and body. It might be said that this also necessitates, a fortiori, the command to be free from repellent speech and actions, such as obscenity, harshness, and crudeness, and so on. Do not be heedless.