Whoever takes a bath on Friday, like the bath taken from sexual impurity, and then goes (to the mosque) is like the one who offers a camel as a sacrifice

Arabic text

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ غُسْلَ الجَنَابَةِ ثُمَّ رَاحَ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَدَنَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَقَرَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ كَبْشًا أَقْرَنَ، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ دَجَاجَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الخَامِسَةِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَيْضَةً، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإِمَامُ حَضَرَتِ المَلاَئِكَةُ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ».

Translation

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes a bath on Friday, like the bath taken from sexual impurity, and then goes (to the mosque) is like the one who offers a camel as a sacrifice; whoever goes at the second hour is like the one who offers a cow as a sacrifice; whoever goes at the third hour is like the one who offers a horned ram as a sacrifice; whoever goes at the fourth hour is like the one who offers a chicken as a sacrifice; and whoever goes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg as a sacrifice. When the Imām comes out, the angels come to listen to the Dhikr."

Explanation

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.

Benefits

• The Hadīth urges us to bathe on Friday, before going to the prayer.
• It highlights the merit of going early to the Friday prayer at the first part of the daytime.
• It urges us to hasten to perform righteous deeds.
• The angels attend the Friday prayer and listen to the sermon.
• Angels stand at the doors of mosques, writing down the names of those coming to the Friday prayer, in order as per their arrival.
• 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.

Topics

• Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
• Jurisprudence of Acts of Worship
• Purification
• Prayer
• Ritual Bath
• Recommended Manners of the Ritual Bath
• Jumu‘ah (Friday) Prayer