The fitrah is the pure nature upon which Allāh created human beings. Every child is born with a pure nature, which may subsequently be blurred by self indulgence or unfavourable environmental influence.

Allāh created people free from wrong beliefs and inclinations and receptive to correct beliefs and good inclinations. As a person grows, devils tempt him to change his fitrah. The prophet (sallAllāhu 'alayhi wasallam) informed that Allāh said: “Indeed, I created my servants with pure natures, all of them. But indeed, the devils came to them, displaced them from their religion, prohibited for them what I made permissible, and commanded them to join with Me what I did not authorise.” (Saheeh Muslim)

The traits of fitrah pertain to the dignified and clean appearance of a person. Below are some traits, mentioned in the ahadeeth¹, that are indicative of a good pure fitrah:

- Brushing teeth using the siwāk

- Clipping the nails

- Washing hands – finger knuckles and in between them

- Cleaning nose by inhaling water into the nostrils then blowing out

- Rinsing the mouth

- Grooming the head

- Removing the armpit hair

- Removing the pubic hair

- Cleaning the private parts after going to the toilet

- Keeping the beard (the beard includes whatever naturally grows on the face in the area of the jawbone)

- Trimming the moustache (to ensure it does not go beyond the lip)

- Circumcision

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¹For detailed hadeeth references, see A Selection of Hadeeths on the Fitrah