less than one’s appetite, i.e. stop eating while still hungry. If a person eats in excess and gobbles down different things such as Seekh Kebabs, burgers, Aaloo Cholay, pizzas, ice-cream, cold drinks every now and then, damaging his stomach and consequently suffering from the disease of bad breath^[1], he will get into an extremely difficult situation as entering the Masjid with a bad breath is Haraam. Entering the Masjid even for offering Salah with Jama’at is also a sin in this state. As most people are not so much concerned about their afterlife nowadays, they seem to have become greedy for food.

Furthermore, the ‘food culture’ has become popular everywhere and has resulted in a number of people having bad breaths. The best cure for this problem is to eat simple foods less than one’s appetite so that one does not have any digestive problems. Also, after eating one should get into the habit of cleaning his mouth by doing Khilal and gargling etc. properly, otherwise particles of food may remain in the gaps between the teeth and would decay, causing offensive smells. It is Wajib to protect the Masjid from all foul odours including bad breath.

Keeping manners of the Masjid in mind, one should go to the Masjid in a neat and clean clothing by putting on fragrance. Just ponder! If we have to go to meet a ruler, minister, officer or any VIP, we wear neat and clean clothes, turban and shawl etc., and put on fragrance, but we do not make such arrangements for going to the Masjid, however, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the King of all kings; He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the most Glorious and Greatest of all.

Sayyiduna Imam-e-A’zam’s expensive ‘Imamah and clothing

It is stated on page 184 ‘Imamah kay Fazaail [Excellence of the ‘Imamah] a 517-page book, published by Maktaba-tul-Madinah that Sayyiduna Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ had expensive clothes sewn for the night Salah; his clothing consisted of a Qamees (upper garment), ‘Imamah (turban), shawl and a Shalwar (lower garment) all to the value of 1500 dirhams. He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ would wear it at night daily and would say: ‘اَلتَّزَيُّنُ لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰي اَوۡلٰي مِنَ التَّزَيُّنِ لِلنَّاسِ’