Recently, I had a conversation with a dentist about his experiences. He shared an interesting point that many people come to him with dental issues, even though they have been brushing their teeth regularly their whole lives. The reason for this is that these people do brush their teeth, but they don’t do it correctly. They believe that brushing means quickly moving the toothbrush over the teeth. After rubbing the brush on their teeth for a few seconds, they rinse their mouth and feel fresh because of the toothpaste’s fragrance, thinking they have done enough. However, their teeth, especially their molars, remain unclean.
The dentist then explained the correct way to brush. He mentioned that there are sixteen parts of the upper and lower teeth in the mouth. Each section of the teeth has a different structure, and the brush should be moved back and forth, side to side, or up and down according to that structure. While explaining, he pointed out that the molars on both sides of the upper and lower teeth have four sections. Each molar has three surfaces: the smooth surfaces at the front and back, and the sharp surface at the top, which we use to chew food. Therefore, the brush should cover all twelve areas.
The correct brushing method is to move the brush from the root to the top on the front and back surfaces, ensuring that any particles stuck in the roots and crevices are removed. On the top surface, the brush should be moved side to side to clear away any particles.
Then there is the front part of the teeth, which becomes visible when we smile. There are four surfaces in total, two on the upper teeth and two on the lower teeth, both front and back. The brushing technique for these surfaces is to move the brush in a long stroke from the root to the edge. By brushing each surface fifteen to twenty times, that part typically becomes clean of particles, preventing toothaches, cavities, bad breath, or yellowing of the teeth. If any of these problems do occur, the reason will be something else, not poor dental hygiene.
After listening to this detailed explanation from the dentist, I realized how deceiving it is when a person appears to be doing something, but if not done correctly, it does not yield the desired results. The same applies to religious duties. The fundamental principle in religious commands is that one should do what is asked and, secondly, do it exactly as instructed, without changing or adding anything. Any alteration or addition is equivalent to deceiving oneself. This is especially critical in matters of faith and worship.
For example, in religion, there are five core beliefs. Adding to this list of beliefs will lead to divine accountability on the Day of Judgment. Similarly, in Worship, Prayers, Zakat, Sadaqah alFitr, Fasting, I’tikaf, Hajj, Umrah, and Sacrifice have been prescribed. Adding new forms of worship on one’s own or deviating from the prescribed ways of performing these acts will once again be a cause for accountability on the Day of Judgment.
The Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are very clear that introducing changes or additions in religion is a grave sin. It amounts to slandering Allah, and the Quran has associated it with the severe crimes of polytheism and denying divine revelations. Unfortunately, people, with good intentions, introduce changes and additions in religion, forgetting that there can be no ijtihad (independent reasoning) in matters of faith and worship. This is the fundamental principle of religion.