Recommended Manners of the Ritual Bath

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells about the merit of going early to the Friday prayer. Earliness starts from sunrise to the coming of the Imām. This is five hours, to be divided into five parts across the time from the rise of the sun to the entering of Imām and ascending the pulpit to deliver the sermon: First: He who takes a complete bath, like the one taken after sexual impurity, and then goes to the mosque on Friday at the first hour is like the one who gives a camel in charity. Second: He who goes at the second hour is like the one who gives a cow in charity. Third: He who goes at the third hour is like the one who gives a horned ram - a male sheep - in charity. Fourth: He who goes at the fourth hour is like the one who gives a chicken in charity. Fifth: He who goes at the fifth hour is like the one who gives an egg in charity. When the Imām comes out, the angels standing at the doors stop recording the names of those who enter the mosque and come to listen to the Dhikr and sermon.

1. The Hadīth urges us to bathe on Friday, before going to the prayer.
2. It highlights the merit of going early to the Friday prayer at the first part of the daytime.
3. It urges us to hasten to perform righteous deeds.
4. The angels attend the Friday prayer and listen to the sermon.
5. Angels stand at the doors of mosques, writing down the names of those coming to the Friday prayer, in order as per their arrival.
6. Ibn Rajab said: His words "Whoever takes a bath on Friday and then goes" indicate that the time of the recommended bath for Friday starts from dawn and ends upon going to the Friday prayer.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 3) (881). صحيح مسلم (2/ 582) (850). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، عبد الله البسام (ص244). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 308). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، إسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 196). معالم السنن (شرح سنن أبي داود)، أبو سليمان الخطابي (1/ 109). تهذيب اللغة، محمد الأزهري (14/ 102).

This noble Hadīth illustrates some of what happened during the Prophet's last illness. It specifically relates that when the Prophet became so ill, he asked those around him as to whether the people had prayed, and the reply came in the negative, and so he asked for a vessel, made ablution, yet fainted. When he regained his consciousness, he asked again and made ablution, yet fainted once more. This occurred for three times, after which he ordered that Abu Bakr lead the people in prayer. When he received the Prophet's messenger with this order, Abu Bakr asked ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer, but he refused and made Abu Bakr come forward, for he was more worthy of that. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) felt better, and so he came out being supported by Al-‘Abbās and ‘Ali. In the meantime, Abu Bakr was leading the people in Zhuhr prayer. When he saw the Prophet, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet pointed to him to remain in his place and he sat next to him. Thus, Abu Bakr was following the Prophet in the prayer, and the people were following Abu Bakr.

- صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. - توضِيحُ الأحكَامِ مِن بُلوُغ المَرَام، للبسام. مكتَبة الأسدي، مكّة المكرّمة، الطبعة: الخامِسَة، 1423 هـ - 2003 م. - بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام، لابن حجر، دار القبس للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض - المملكة العربية السعودية الطبعة: الأولى، 1435 هـ - 2014 م. - منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان، دار ابن الجوزي. ط1 1428هـ. - مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، للتبريزي، الناشر: دار الكتب العلمية، سنة النشر: 1422 - 2001 ط 1.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to take a bath from Janābah with one Sā‘ and perform ablution with one Mudd. One Sā‘ equals four Mudds, and one Mudd is the amount that would fill the palms of an average-sized person.

1. It is prescribed to use water moderately for ablution and ritual bathing and not to use it wastefully, even if water is abundant.
2. It is recommended to use little water for ablution and ritual baths, as needed. This is the guidance of the Prophet (ﷺ).
3. The bottom line is to perform ablution and ritual baths thoroughly while observing the relevant Sunnah acts and etiquettes, without extravagance or stinginess. One should take into account the time, the abundance or shortage of water, and so on.
4. Janābah applies to anyone who has ejaculated or engaged in sexual intercourse. It was called as such because the one in a state of Janābah should keep away (Ijtināb) from prayer and other acts of worship until he is purified from it.
5. Sā‘: a well-known measure. It refers to the Prophetic Sā‘, which weighs 480 Miskals of good wheat, or 3 liters.
6. Mudd: a Shar‘i unit of measurement, which is the handfuls of a moderate person when he fills both hands and extends them. Mudd is a quarter of a Sā‘, by consensus among the scholars, and it equals 750 milliliters.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 258) (326). البحر المحيط الثجاج في شرح صحيح الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج (8/ 52).