His saying, exalted be He: (And purify your garments) Al-Muddathir: 4, and the point of evidence: that the legislator commanded the purification of the garment from impurity, and the general command indicates obligation, thus purification is obligatory. What is mentioned regarding the garment also applies to the place and the body by a greater reason; because the one praying is commanded to be in a state of purity before starting the prayer, to be in the best and most honorable state while conversing with the Lord of Glory, being pure and clean. The connection of the person with the place is stronger than with the garment, as existence cannot be conceived without a place but can be conceived without a garment. The condition of the body is more evident, therefore purifying them is obligatory like the garment, even more so, due to their stronger connection. And from Asma bint Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her: "A woman asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, about a garment that gets stained with blood from menstruation, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Wash it, then rub it with water, then sprinkle it and pray in it,'" in Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1: 254, and al-Tirmidhi said: The hadith is good and authentic. In Sahih al-Bukhari 1/91, and Sahih Muslim 1: 240, and the meaning of 'wash it' is to remove the stain, and the meaning of 'rub it' is to wash it with your fingertips. See: Maraqi al-Falah p. 208.