Abu Dawud

340. Commentary:
The one who arrived late during the sermon was Hazrat Uthman radi Allahu anhu, and Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu admonishing such a great personality as Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan radi Allahu anhu in the presence of the eminent Companions from the pulpit is evidence that, in general, they considered the ritual bath (ghusl) of Jumu‘ah to be obligatory. If it had been merely recommended (mustahabb), such an admonition would never have been made in this manner.

Hadith Commentary:
The relevance of this hadith to the chapter heading is as follows: Umar radi Allahu anhu became displeased with Uthman radi Allahu anhu, such a distinguished Companion. If the Friday prayer (Jumu‘ah) did not possess special virtue, then what need was there for such displeasure? Thus, the virtue of the Friday prayer is established, and this is precisely the subject of the chapter heading.

Some have said that for other prayers, the Qur’an commands:
﴿اِذَا قُمتُم اِلَی الصَّلٰوةِ فَاغسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُم﴾ (, al-Ma’idah: 6)
—that is, perform ablution (wudu)—whereas for the Friday prayer, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded the ritual bath (ghusl). It is thus evident that the status of the Friday prayer is higher than that of other prayers, and its superiority over other prayers is established. This, too, is the subject of the chapter heading (Wahidi).

With a little reflection, it can be understood how deeply Allah Most High granted Imam al-Muhaddithin, Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah, insight into the meanings of the Prophetic hadith.

For this reason, Allamah Abdul Quddus ibn Hammam, narrating from several of his teachers, states that Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah wrote the jurisprudential chapter headings and sections of his book while sitting in that part of the Prophet’s Mosque which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam described as a garden from the gardens of Paradise.

With such painstaking effort and devotion, this unparalleled book was completed over a period of sixteen years, and without any hesitation, it was given the title: “The most authentic book after the Book of Allah.” Millions upon millions of hadith scholars and scholars of the ummah have tested it by the strictest standards, but the title that became famous for this work was as if inscribed in stone—neither to be erased nor ever erased.

Despite this manifest reality, it is deeply regrettable that the superficial critics of our time, who, pen in hand, dare to criticize Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah and his matchless book, thereby exposing their own lack of understanding.

Whether such individuals are associated with Deoband or elsewhere, it should be clear to them that their futile efforts will not diminish, even by an atom’s weight, the rank of Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah or his esteemed book.

Indeed, it is certain that whoever spits toward the sky, his spit will fall back upon his own face, for this is the law of nature.

To write about the scholarly qualities of Sahih al-Bukhari would require a separate treatise and a most brilliant scholarly mind.

This book is not merely a collection of authentic hadith, but is a comprehensive encyclopedia of principles and beliefs, acts of worship and transactions, battles and biographies, Islamic society and civilization, and issues of politics and governance.

The intellectual satisfaction that today’s young, enlightened Muslims can derive from this book cannot be found elsewhere.

This hadith also establishes that prominent individuals should continue to command good deeds and, in this regard, should not show consideration for anyone.

Those who are advised are also obliged not to hesitate in accepting, and should submit wholeheartedly to good deeds without any objection or delay.

Observe the wisdom of Umar radi Allahu anhu: upon hearing Uthman’s radi Allahu anhu response, he immediately realized that he had come for Friday prayer without performing the ritual bath (ghusl).

From this, the importance of the Friday ritual bath is also established.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that this chapter heading is connected to the previous one, because in the preceding chapter the virtue of attending the Friday prayer early in the morning was mentioned. In this heading, there is a refutation of those who claim consensus (ijma‘) of the people of Madinah on abandoning early attendance, because according to this hadith, Umar radi Allahu anhu objected to abandoning early attendance in the presence of the noble Companions of Madinah radi Allahu anhum and the eminent Followers (Tabi‘in) rahimahumullah.
If, in the view of Umar radi Allahu anhu, the virtue and greatness and importance of Jumu‘ah were not established, he would not have left the sermon and openly objected in the general gathering upon late arrival in this manner.
When the virtue of coming early in the morning for Jumu‘ah is established, then the virtue of Jumu‘ah itself is also established.
And this is the intended point.

(2)
It should be clear that, as explicitly stated by the hadith scholars, the esteemed elder who arrived late was Dhu al-Nurayn, our master Uthman ibn Affan radi Allahu anhu.
(Fath al-Bari: 2/476)

(3)
In this heading, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has refuted Imam Malik.
According to Imam Malik, the virtue of coming early is after the sun's zenith (zawal), because the word "tahjir" is mentioned in the hadith, which, according to him, means to set out after the sun's zenith. However, according to the majority of hadith scholars, "tabkir"—that is, coming early in the morning on the day of Jumu‘ah—is virtuous.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah considered Imam Malik's position to be contrary to the hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Allamah Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah has discussed this issue in detail in his renowned work "Zad al-Ma‘ad."
(Zad al-Ma‘ad: 1/399, 407)

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
The apparent implication of the narration of Abdullah ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhum) is that the ritual bath (ghusl) for Jumu'ah should be performed at the time of coming for Jumu'ah, and that the ritual bath (ghusl) is not a condition for Jumu'ah. This is why Umar (radi Allahu anhu) did not send Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) back.