the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded the performance of Ghusl?(6) If it were mandatory, he would have rejected it, and it would not have been hidden from 'Uthman or the Companions who were present. Their hadith is interpreted as emphasizing the recommended nature (nadb) of it, which is why it is mentioned in its context: "and the Siwak, and that he should apply perfume." It was recorded by Muslim in this manner (7). The Siwak and applying perfume are not mandatory. This is in accordance with the reports we have mentioned. 'Aishah said: "The people were laborers for themselves, and they used to go to the Friday prayer in their current state, so an odor would become apparent from them. It was said to them: 'If only you would perform Ghusl.'" It was recorded by Muslim with a similar meaning (8).
Section: The time for Ghusl is after the break of dawn. So, whoever performs Ghusl after that, it suffices him; but if he performs it before that, it does not suffice him. This is the opinion of Mujahid, al-Hasan, al-Nakha'i, al-Thawri, al-Shafi'i, and Ishaq. It was narrated from al-Awza'i that performing Ghusl before dawn suffices. And from Malik: it does not suffice him unless it is immediately followed by going to the prayer. For us, the evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whoever performs Ghusl on Friday" (9). The 'day' begins from the break of dawn. If he performs Ghusl and then breaks his ablution (hadath), the Ghusl remains sufficient, and ablution (wudu) is enough for him. This is the view of Mujahid, al-Hasan, Malik, al-Awza'i, and al-Shafi'i. Tawus, al-Zuhri, Qatadah, and Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (10) recommended repeating the Ghusl. Our evidence is that he performed Ghusl on the day of Friday, so he enters into the generality of the report, and he is like one who did not break his ablution. The minor hadath only affects minor purification and does not affect the intended purpose of Ghusl, which is cleansing and removing odor. Furthermore, it is a Ghusl, so a hadath does not invalidate it, like the Ghusl for janabah.
(6) Its documentation has previously appeared on page 198. (7) See the documentation for the hadith "Friday Ghusl is mandatory for every person who has reached puberty," which was previously mentioned a short while ago. (8) In: The Chapter on the Obligatoriness of Friday Ghusl... etc., from the Book of Friday. Sahih Muslim 2/581. It was also recorded by al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on Where One Comes to the Friday Prayer and Upon Whom It Is Obligatory, and the Chapter on the Time of Friday Prayer When the Sun Declines, from the Book of Friday, and in: The Chapter on a Man's Earnings and Work With His Own Hands, from the Book of Sales. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/8, 3/74. And Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on the Concession to Omit Ghusl on Friday, from the Book of Purification. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/85. And al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the Concession to Omit Ghusl on Friday, from the Book of Friday. Al-Mujtaba 3/76. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 6/63. (9) Its documentation has previously appeared on page 165, and a similar one is on page 224. (10) Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (Salih) al-Ta'i, their mawla, al-Yamami. He encountered the Companion Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). He was reliable (thiqah), one of the scholars of hadith. He died in the year 129 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 11/268-270.
