How to purify yourself

Interestingly the recent verses I have read all have the word تزكية or تطهير which mean cleansing and purification.

Look at the following 3 distinct verses:

1- Verse 6 in Alma'ida:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

O you who believe! when you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you answered the call of nature, or you have been in sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands (i.e. make tayammum), Allah does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but rather He wants to make you clean and purify you, and to complete His favor on you, in order that you may be thankful.

2- Verse 103 in Altawba:
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and cleanse them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

3- Verse 108 in Altawba:
...
لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ

...Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and purify themselves. And Allah loves those who purify and cleanse themselves.

Read all 3 of these verses. They speak of 3 very different things. The first one is long and detailed and informs us how to make wudu, or perform ablution before praying. After the very detailed and long list of steps, Allah says this is not out of difficultly, but rather out of purity. So our action in wudu is actually our very own cleansing. That is why we must be thankful. Because there is good in it for us, although we do not always comprehend that.

Number 2 speaks about charity. There were people who mixed their good deeds with bad. They had doubts, shakable faith at times. But when they repented, God wanted them to feel pure again. So what should they do? They should give charity. Yes. Just give alms to the poor. And that alone will be a source of their own cleanings and purification!

Number 3 talks about a mosque that was built seeking God consciousness, and it speaks of those who regularly attend prayers there and are attached to this mosque. It describes these people as ''ones who love to cleans/purify themselves''. By all means, this gives us the implication that the mosque and praying is a way to cleanse and purify oneself.

These are just 3 ways. Explore the Quran. Look at every instance where purification or cleansing is mentioned. No doubt will you find that God gives us a beautiful detailed easy step for us to commit to in order to attain this cleansing. Here alone, performing wudu (ablution) before prayer, praying, going to the mosque, giving charity, all these were mentioned as means to purify and cleanse your very own self. The more you dig, the more treasure you will find for yourself.

Instant Gratification

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.

This is verse 100 in Surah Altawba.

Throughout the entire Quran, When Allah describes jannah to the believers, it always says
"جنات تجري من تحتها/تحتهم الأنهار".
"Gardens under which FROM IT rivers flow''.

However, there is
only one verse (this one) that I found

من that does not use
and instead He says
"جنات تجري تحتها الأنهار ".
"Gardens under which rivers flow"

In Arabic Grammar, I took the case called منصوب على نزع الخافض
and I thought this could be the case. So the
من is implied
Whether that is the case or not, it is interesting that from about 40 instances where Jannah is described, only this one does not have من.
In looking at what the verse is talking about, it refers to the saabiqoon and awwaloon of the muhajireen and Ansaar, so they were the first to give up everything for Allah's sake. The first to give up their homes, their lifestyle, their everything for Islam. And because of their immediate sacrifice, Allah rewards them a by not putting the word من,
so that way it makes their reward more instant, preceding everyone else's reward. Something we know to be as instant gratification.
Not only that, but looking at it in more depth, the lack of
من also
gives an implication that the rivers under this garden are more abundant.
All these meanings from just removing one two-letter word. Tell me that's not mind blowing!

God forgives!

وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And (there are) others who have acknowledged their sins, they have mixed a deed that was righteous with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness. Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Verse 102 in surah Altawba is absolutely beautiful. It is full of hope and aspiration. This chapter in the previous verses has been speaking about the hypocrites who were causing mischief and who were secretly plotting against the believers, while faking their own faith. It really exposed their lies and humiliated them, making believers aware of their treason. Amidst this talk, God knows there may have been a few who were stuck in the middle. They may have had true faith at times but at other times, they may have partaken with the wrongdoers. God did not leave them alone to sit in their worry. He acknowledged them. Immediately he recognizes these people and says, yes some of you may have had 2 sides, you have had doubts, you have mixed evil with good. But with all of that, KNOW that God may forgive you, for He is the one with the vast characteristic of forgiveness and mercy. What a statement to these people who had doubts. Or to anyone who has doubts today in fact. You do bad and good? You have hope. Never lose faith in God's mercy! This is what this verse is all about. Read it, embody it, believe.

2 interesting verses in surah Altawba(Repentance)

"So let not their wealth or their children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in worldly life and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers." - Verse 55

God is telling the Prophet and the believers that just because these groups of hypocrites have abundance in wealth and children, that does not mean they are happy, or content, or better than you. For it is actually a source of their own punishment. This is so interesting. Because you see, some people see others' wealth or richness or worldly possessions as a great blessing, when in fact, those possessions actually serve as tests. And when the person becomes indulged in that test, in their wealth and life, that brings them to their own demise, as it did with these hypocrites. This verse really gives you a different viewpoint on this issue.

Another interesting verse that caught my eye:

"If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, "Allah is Sufficient for us; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah ," [it would have been better for them]." - Verse 59

This verse talks about contentment. It implies "only if they were content/satisfied with what God had gave them, it would have been better for them". But look at the structure of the verse and the body and how beautifully written out it is! Seldom do you ever see a relatively short verse mention the word "God (Allah)" 4 times! What does this say to the reader? When you look at what the verse is talking about as a whole, it speaks of contentment/satisfaction. Then God is mentioned 4 times. Can't that imply that God is the ultimate source of human satisfaction? But of course, without a doubt! Without God, your remembrance of Him, His presence in your heart, your supplication to Him, you will not reach ultimate everlasting contentment. Make Him priority in your life, and you will live happily.