Jami` at-Tirmidhi 497

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Musa Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna told us: Said ibn Sufyan al-Jahdari told us, from Shubah, from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from Samurah ibn Jundub, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever performs ablution on Friday has done well, and that is commendable; but performing a ritual bath is better.” Reports on this subject are also related from Abu Hurayrah, Aishah, and Anas. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Samurah is hasan. Some companions of Qatadah transmitted it from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from Samurah ibn Jundub; others transmitted it from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as a mursal report. The scholars among the Companions and those who came after them acted upon this: they preferred performing a ritual bath on Friday, while considering ablution sufficient in place of the Friday bath. Al-Shafii said: What indicates that the command of the Prophet to perform a ritual bath on Friday was a recommendation rather than an obligation is the report of Umar, when he said to Uthman, “And you have performed ablution too, even though you know that the Messenger of Allah commanded a ritual bath on Friday.” Had they known that his command was obligatory rather than recommended, Umar would not have let Uthman proceed without telling him to go back and bathe; nor would this have escaped Uthman despite his knowledge. Rather, this report indicates that the Friday bath is virtuous but not obligatory.