: 103]. Thus, ﴾purifies himself﴿ means that he purifies himself both outwardly and inwardly. In his relationship with Allah, he first purifies himself of associating partners with Him. He therefore worships Allah with sincere devotion to Him alone: he does not show off, seek to have others hear of his deeds, or pursue status or leadership through his worship of Allah, Glorious and Exalted. Rather, through it he seeks only the countenance of Allah and the abode of the Hereafter.
He also purifies himself in his adherence to the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—by introducing no innovation whatsoever into his revealed law, whether in beliefs, words, or deeds. This—by which I mean purification in relation to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—consists in following him without innovation. It is fully realized only by following the way of the righteous predecessors: the way of the people of the Sunnah and the community, who believe in everything with which Allah has described Himself in His Book or through the words of His Messenger—may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace. Those who follow the way of the righteous predecessors introduce nothing into Allah’s religion, whether in verbal or physical acts of worship. You find them following what the revealed law has prescribed, unlike some innovators who adopt invented forms of remembrance, whether the innovation concerns their type, their manner and form, or the way they are performed, as is done by some followers of Sufi orders and others.
He likewise purifies himself in his dealings with other people by cleansing his heart of rancor and resentment toward his Muslim brothers. You therefore find him always pure-hearted, loving for his brothers what he loves for himself. He does not wish harm to befall anyone; rather, he wishes all people to be protected from every evil and granted success in every good.
Thus, ﴾whoever purifies himself﴿ means whoever purifies himself both outwardly and inwardly. Inwardly, he purifies himself of associating partners with Allah, Glorious and Exalted, of doubt, hypocrisy, hostility and hatred toward Muslims, and everything else from which the heart must be cleansed. Outwardly, he refrains from giving his tongue and limbs free rein to transgress against the servants of Allah, Glorious and Exalted. He neither backbites anyone, carries tales about anyone, insults anyone, nor wrongs anyone by striking them, wrongfully denying them their property, or by any other means. Thus, purification is a comprehensive term that includes cleansing oneself