The high value attached to cleanliness is expressed
by the proverb which says that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” Indeed, in
some religions, cleanliness is regarded as a part of godliness and is
prescribed as a religious duty. In the Law of Moses the priests were required
to wash their persons and their clothes, when they had to appear before God,
and the tradition of the Jewish elders rigorously enforced the washing of hands
before meals. Hazrat Mohammad (PB UH) prescribed frequent ablutions which, if
water could not be had. Were to be performed with sand.
Such ordinances are in part due to the recognition
of the close connections between personal cleanliness and moral goodness. It is
not without reasons that white raiment and ceremonial ablutions have been
chosen as the symbols of the purity of soul that is expected of the priest and
his congregation, when engaged in the solemn worship of God. Even in our
ordinary everyday life we see a dirty man in dirty clothes is apt to lose that
feeling of self- vice. Respect which is one of the best safeguards against
dishonesty and other reasons why the founders of religions prescribed frequent ablutions
was because they recognized the immense importance of cleanliness from a
sanitary point of view. Dirt, especially in oriental countries, is known to be
a fertile propagator of disease. The germs of cholera and other deadly plagues
are carried through the air with the dust that is seldom wanting under a
tropical sun. The best means of avoiding infection is continual washing which
prevents those germs from remaining lungs in the body.
unfortunately immunity’. From disease cannot be
secured by being clean oneself. A scrupulously clean person may catch disease
from the dirt’, persons with whom he comes into contact. Therefore the rich and
intelligent must. In their own interests, provide their poorer neighbors with
the means of keeping themselves clean. Man benevolent rich men have done good
service to the community in winch they live by providing in crowded quarters of
great cities fountains, from which the poor can get abundant supplies of water.
When water is scarce, and not to be obtained near their doors, the poor cannot
afford the time necessary to get it from a distance, and remain ditty. To the
great danger, not only of themselves, but also of their richer neighbors. This
is the chief reasons why the poor quarters of great cities are often hot-beds
of disease.
The Municipality of Lahore fully recognizes the
importance of these considerations, and has at an immense cost provided an
abundant water-supply’ for this city, so that there may be plenty of water not
only for drinking purposes, but also to water the streets, and wash the houses.
The persons and the clothes of all the inhabitants.