ABSOLUTION SECTION · 130 – Permission to omit Friday Ghusl (ritual bath)
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
People used to go to the Friday prayer in their ordinary clothes.
They were then ordered to bathe.
From Ikrimah, may Allah be pleased with him:
A group of people from Iraq came to Ibn Abbas and said, “O son of Abbas, is it obligatory to bathe on Friday?” Ibn Abbas replied, "No, it is not obligatory, but bathing is better, and the one who bathes has done a more virtuous thing. It is not obligatory for the one who does not bathe." And let me tell you how *ghusl* (ritual bath) for Friday began: People were wearing woolen garments, carrying loads on their backs, and working. Their mosque was narrow, with a vast ceiling of palm branches. On a hot day, they were sweating profusely in their woolens, emitting foul odors. They were disturbing one another with those odors. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, smelled the odor when he came out to them that day.
He said, “O people, bathe on Fridays, and let whoever among you finds perfume and oil use the best of them.” Ibn Abbas said: "Allah then blessed them with what is good; they wore other than wool, were relieved from working with loads on their backs, and widened their mosque, so that a portion of the sweat which caused discomfort to one another disappeared."
EXPLANATION
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said that the first mosque was made of mud bricks, with a vast ceiling of palm branches. The companions were engaged in agriculture and trade. Medina being very hot, they would sweat profusely.
Those coming for Friday prayer would come directly from work, so the mosque would fill with the smell of sweat. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then ordered them to bathe on Fridays.
Semure (may Allah be pleased with him) related: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “If one takes ablution on Friday, it is good, and if he performs the full ghusl (ritual bath), it is more virtuous.” [249]
COMMENTARY
There is great reward in performing ritual bath on Friday. However, those who are unable to perform the full ghusl should take ablution and go to Friday’s prayer with that ablution.