The Friday ghusl

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The ritual bath (ghusl) of Friday is obligatory upon everyone who has reached puberty.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is incumbent upon the Muslims to take a bath on Friday and, if they have perfume, to apply perfume; and if there is no perfume, then water is perfume for them.

Sayyiduna Aws bin Aws al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever takes a bath on Friday, goes early to the prayer, goes on foot and does not ride, draws near to the imam, listens to the imam's sermon and does nothing idle during the sermon, is granted for every step the reward of a year's fasting and prayers.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever comes to the Friday prayer should take a bath.

The same is also reported through another chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is a duty upon every Muslim to take a bath on one day in every seven days, and that day is Friday.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The ritual bath is on four occasions: from major ritual impurity (janabah), after being cupped, after washing a dead body, and the bath of Friday.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: My dear friend (khalil) advised me to take a bath on Friday.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving the sermon on Friday when a man came. On seeing him, Sayyiduna Umar said: What is it that keeps you back from the prayer? The man said: As soon as I heard the call to prayer, I made ablution. Sayyiduna Umar said: Ablution? Have you not heard this blessed saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): When one of you goes to the Friday prayer, he should take a bath.

One of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Three things are necessary for every Muslim: first, taking a bath on Friday; second, using the tooth-stick (miswak); and third, applying perfume if he has it.

Abdullah bin al-Harith said: I was with Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) when one of his sons came. He asked him: Have you taken a bath? He said: No, I made ablution and came. Sayyiduna Sa'd said to him: I do not think of anyone that he would leave out the Friday bath.

Ibn Sirin said: A man from the Muhajirun came for the prayer on Friday. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Have you taken a bath? He said: No. Sayyiduna Umar said: You know that we were commanded otherwise. He said: What were you commanded? Sayyiduna Umar said: To take a bath. The man asked: Was it only you, the Muhajirun, (who were commanded this) or all the people? Sayyiduna Umar said: I do not know.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) has also narrated this incident.

Abu al-Bakhtari said: Sayyiduna Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) had a quarrel and argument with a man over some matter. When the quarrel grew heated, Sayyiduna Ammar said: If that is not so, then I am more foul-smelling than the one who does not take a bath on Friday.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the bath on Friday, and he said: Take a bath on Friday, on the days of the two Eids, and on the day of Arafah.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I do not think that anyone regards anything other than the bath as the means of purification on Friday.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Even if I had to buy a single cup of water for one dinar, I would still take a bath on Friday.

Ka'b said: On Friday everything except humans and jinn is seized with alarm. And on that day a bath is incumbent upon everyone who has reached puberty.

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The people used to do their own work, and they would come to the Friday prayer just as they were, so it was said to them: If only you would take a bath (on Friday).

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Taking a bath on one day out of seven is incumbent upon every Muslim, and that day is Friday.

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said about something: "You are worse than a person who does not take a bath on Friday."

Ibrahim said: The predecessors used to consider taking a bath on Friday recommended.

Abdullah bin Sa'd said: When Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) swore an oath about something, he would say: "In that case I would be worse than a person who does not take a bath on Friday."

Yahya bin Maysarah said: I asked Amr bin Murrah about the Friday bath: is taking a bath on Friday a sunnah (a necessary practice)? He said: The Muslims used to take a bath on Friday. I asked the same question again, and he gave me only the same answer, that the Muslims used to take a bath on Friday. I understood that it is something the Muslims considered recommended, and not a sunnah (necessary practice).

Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Layla said: A bath is to be taken on Friday, on the day of Eid al-Adha, on the day of Eid al-Fitr, on the day of Arafah and on the day of entering Makkah.

Ibrahim said: The predecessors liked that, when they were in the cities, they would not leave the Friday bath.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever wants to go to the Friday prayer should take a bath."

Mughra said: Sa'id bin Jubayr used to take a bath on Friday even during his days in captivity.

It is narrated from Ibn al-Sabbaq that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said on one Friday: "This is a day of Eid, so take a bath on it. Whoever has perfume, there is no harm for him in applying some of it. And make it a duty upon yourselves to use the siwak."

Sayyiduna Ibn Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: For Friday there is a bath, and perfume if it is available.

Yazid said: I asked Abd al-Rahman: Is taking a bath on any day other than Friday also part of the religion? He said: Yes, on Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr and the day of Arafah.

Ibrahim al-Taymi narrates that his father used to consider taking a bath on the two Eids and on Friday recommended.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Taking a bath on Friday is a sunnah.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in one of the Friday sermons: "Whoever comes to the Friday prayer should take a bath."