George Washington, Muhammad, and Hygiene: A Response to Huffington Post's Craig Considine

George Washington, Muhammad, and Hygiene: A Response to Huffington Post's Craig Considine

In the latest attempt by The Huffington Post to convince us that Muhammad was one of the good guys, Craig Considine draws several desperate comparisons between Muhammad and George Washington. Considine even suggests that Muhammad and Washington were kindred spirits on the issue of personal hygiene. He writes:

While it may appear as an obscure similarity, Muhammad and Washington also cared a great deal about good hygiene. The Holy Quran, for example, states that, "Allah ... loves those who keep themselves pure and clean" (2:22). Similarly, in "Rules of Civility," Washington wrote that people should keep their "nails clean and short, and your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any concern for them" (Rule 15). Washington added that people should wear clean clothing: "Wear not your clothes foul, ripped or dusty ... and take heed that you approach not to any uncleaness" (Rule 51). Both Muhammad and Washington stressed the importance of maintaining a clean, well-presented physical appearance. They believed that good hygiene was a projection of a positive body image, which, in turn, reflected a healthy mind.

But what happens when we examine Muhammad's teachings to see how his hygiene practices stand up to scrutiny? Get your camel urine ready, because you'll have a stomach ache after watching this short clip:





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