[Machine] Two men from Iraq came to him and asked about performing the Friday bath, is it obligatory? Ibn Abbas said to them, "Whoever performs the bath, it is better and purer." Then he informed them that at the beginning of performing the bath, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ , people used to be in need, wearing wool, and water from palm trees would be poured on their backs. The mosque was narrow, reaching close to the ceiling. On a hot summer day, the Prophet ﷺ came out on Friday and his pulpit was short, consisting of only three steps. He addressed the people, and the people sweated profusely in their wool garments. The smell of sweat and wool filled the air to the point where some people were harming each other. Finally, the smell reached the Prophet while he was on the pulpit, and he said, "O people, if it is this day, then perform the bath and let each one of you apply the best fragrance or perfume that he can find."
أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ أَتَيَاهُ فَسَأَلَا عَنِ الْغُسْلِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَوَاجِبٌ هُوَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ فَهُوَ أَحْسَنُ وَأَطْهَرُ وَسَأُخْبِرُكُمَا لَمَّا بَدَأَ الْغُسْلُ كَانَ النَّاسُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُحْتَاجِينَ يَلْبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ يَسْقُونَ النَّخْلَ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ وَكَانَ الْمَسْجِدُ ضَيِّقًا مُقَارِبَ السَّقْفِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي يَوْمٍ صَائِفٍ شَدِيدِ الْحَرِّ وَمِنْبَرُهُ قَصِيرٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ ثَلَاثُ دَرَجَاتٍ فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ فَعَرِقَ النَّاسُ فِي الصُّوفِ فَثَارَتْ أَبْدَانُهُمْ رِيحَ الْعَرَقِ وَالصُّوفِ حَتَّى كَادَ يُؤْذِيَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى بَلَغَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِذَا كَانَ هَذَا الْيَوْمُ فَاغْتَسِلُوا وَلْيَمَسَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَطْيَبَ مَا يَجِدُ مِنْ طِيبِهِ أَوْ دُهْنِهِ»