An inquirer asks about the ruling on the bath performed before the Friday prayer and whether it is obligatory.

The scholars differed regarding the ruling on the bath performed before the Friday prayer. The position we adopt is that it is a Sunnah for whoever attends the Friday prayer, even if the prayer is not obligatory upon them, such as children and women. Its observance is especially recommended since it is recommended to remove oneself from controversial issues.

The Friday prayer is obligatory upon every legally accountable Muslim male who is a resident and is physically able to attend it. Accordingly, it is not obligatory upon children, women, travelers, or the ill. This is the unanimous position of the jurists of the four schools of jurisprudence.[1]

It has been prescribed for Friday that one appear in a presentable manner, which entails taking a bath prior to attending the prayer and wearing perfume, to prevent harming others with unpleasant odors. Islamic jurists of the four schools are unanimous that this ruling is merely recommended and not obligatory.[2] In contrast, the Zahiris have maintained that the bath for the Friday prayer is obligatory. It was also reported in one narration from Imam Ahmad and from some of the Salaf that bath for the Friday prayer is obligatory.[3]

Furthermore, the evidences for this recommendation include the hadith reported by Ibn Huraira who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever performs ablution and perfects it, then attends the Friday prayer and listens attentively [to the sermon], will have his sins forgiven between that Friday and the previous one, together with three additional days” (Muslim).[4] In another hadith narrated by Samra ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever performs ablution on Friday, that is well and good; but whoever takes a bath, that is better” (recorded by an-Nisa’i and at-Tirmidhi in their respective Sunan).

Based on this, the bath performed before the Friday prayer is a Sunnah for those who attend the prayer, even if it is not obligatory upon them, such as children and women, while it is especially recommended to observe it in order to remove oneself from controversial issues.

And Allah Almighty knows best.