5. Purity:
The concept of purity is important in Islam. There are a variety of ways in which purity is to be maintained. One is through the avoidance of using drugs and alcohol or engaging in gambling. Another is through not eating certain foods, like pork. And finally, there is the matter of maintaining a measure of ritual cleanliness. Although the concept of purity may sound relatively innocuous, it is in fact the foundation of many harmful, discriminatory, and even violent behaviors. An insistence on purity has often been the reasoning behind excluding women from certain areas of life, for example, especially after pregnancy or menstruation. A desire for ritual purity can encourage the belief that "impure" beliefs of others must be suppressed, the "impure" people must be discriminated against, and that "impure" behaviors must be legally banned.
