{ Indeed a mosque founded on piety from the first day is more worthwile for you to enter; in it there are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves } Al-baqara 108

From Shahr ibn Hawshab, who said: When { In it there are men who love to purify themselves } was sent down, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: What is the purification that Allah has praised you all for? They said: Oh Messenger of Allah, we wash off the traces of feces. … From Qatada, who said: When { In it there are men who love to purify themselves } came down, the Prophet (SAW) said: Oh Ansar folk! What is this purification that Allah has praised you all about? They said: Indeed we free ourselves of filth with water when we come back from defecating. … From ‘Atiyya who said: When this verse came down { In it there are men who love to purify themselves } , the Messenger of Allah (SAW) asked them: What is this purification you all do that Allah has mentioned? They said: Oh Messenger of Allah, in the age of ignorance [jahiliya] we used to clean up with water, and when Islam came, we did not stop doing this. He said: Don’t stop doing it.