Some people of Iraq came and said: Ibn 'Abbas, do you regard taking a bath on Friday as obligatory ? He said: No, it is only a means of cleanliness, and is better for one who washes oneself. Anyone who does not take a bath, it is not essential for him. I inform you how the bath (on Friday) commenced. The people were poor and used to wear woolen clothes, and would carry loads on their backs. Their mosque was small and its rood was lowered down. It was a sort of trellis of vine. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once came out on a hot day and the people perspired profusely in the woolen clothes so much so that foul smell emitted from them and it caused trouble to each other. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ found the foul smell, he said: O people, when this day (Friday) comes, you should take bath and every one should anoint the best oil and perfume one has. Ibn 'Abbas then said: Then Allah, the Exalted, provided wealth (to the people) and they wore clothes other than the woolen, and were spared from work, and their mosque became vast. The foul smell that caused trouble to them became non-existent.  

لاَ وَلَكِنَّهُ أَطْهَرُ وَخَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اغْتَسَلَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَغْتَسِلْ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ بِوَاجِبٍ وَسَأُخْبِرُكُمْ كَيْفَ بَدْءُ الْغُسْلِ كَانَ النَّاسُ مَجْهُودِينَ يَلْبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ وَكَانَ مَسْجِدُهُمْ ضَيِّقًا مُقَارِبَ السَّقْفِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ عَرِيشٌ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي يَوْمٍ حَارٍّ وَعَرِقَ النَّاسُ فِي ذَلِكَ الصُّوفِ حَتَّى ثَارَتْ مِنْهُمْ رِيَاحٌ آذَى بِذَلِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فَلَمَّا وَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ الرِّيحَ قَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِذَا كَانَ هَذَا الْيَوْمُ فَاغْتَسِلُوا وَلْيَمَسَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مَا يَجِدُ مِنْ دُهْنِهِ وَطِيبِهِ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَلَبِسُوا غَيْرَ الصُّوفِ وَكُفُوا الْعَمَلَ وَوُسِّعَ مَسْجِدُهُمْ وَذَهَبَ بَعْضُ الَّذِي كَانَ يُؤْذِي بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا مِنَ الْعَرَقِ  

[Machine] "At the beginning of washing, people were in need and they used to wear wool and they used to water the palms on their backs and the Prophet's mosque was narrow, with the ceiling close together. So the people were in wool and sweating, and their souls became like the souls of wool. So some of them were harmed by others until their souls reached the Messenger of Allah while he was on the pulpit. He said, 'O people, when you come to Friday prayer, perform the ablution and let one of you touch the finest fragrance if he has it.'"

Note: The phrase "صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ" (sallallahou 'alayhi wa sallam) is abbreviated as "ﷺ" in Arabic. It is a salutation that is often added after mentioning Prophet Muhammad to send blessings upon him.  

عَنْ بَدْءِ الْغُسْلِ كَانَ النَّاسُ مُحْتَاجِينَ وَكَانُوا يَلْبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ وَكَانُوا يَسْقُونَ النَّخْلَ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ وَكَانَ مَسْجِدُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ضَيِّقًا مُتَقَارِبَ السَّقْفِ فَرَاحَ النَّاسُ فِي الصُّوفِ فَعَرِقُوا وَكَانَ مِنْبَرُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَصِيرًا إِنَّمَا هُوَ ثَلاثُ دَرَجَاتٍ فَعَرِقَ النَّاسُ فِي الصُّوفِ فَثَارَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ أَرْوَاحُ الصُّوفِ فَتَأَذَّى بَعْضُهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ حَتَّى بَلَغَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِذَا جِئْتُمُ الْجُمُعَةَ فَاغْتَسِلُوا وَلْيَمَسَّ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ طِيبٍإِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ  

[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»  

[Machine] They have a son of Abbas, whoever washes himself, he is the best and the purest, and I will inform you why the washing began. People in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were in need, wearing wool and watering their palms. The mosque was narrow, close to the ceiling, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out on Friday in the midst of intense heat, and his pulpit was short, only three steps. He addressed the people and the people perspired in their wool, and their sweat and wool scents rose until it almost harmed each other. Their scents reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was on the pulpit, so he said, "O people, if it is this day, then wash yourselves, and let one of you touch whatever he finds of his perfume or ointment."  

لَهُمَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ فَهُوَ أَحْسَنُ وَأَطْهَرُ وَسَأُخْبِرُكُمْ لِمَاذَا بَدَأَ الْغُسْلُ كَانَ النَّاسُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مُحْتَاجِينَ يَلْبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ وَيَسْقُونَ النَّخْلَ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ وَكَانَ الْمَسْجِدُ ضَيِّقًا مُقَارِبَ السَّقْفِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي يَوْمٍ صَائِفٍ شَدِيدِ الْحَرِّ وَمِنْبَرُهُ قَصِيرٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ ثَلَاثُ دَرَجَاتٍ فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ فَعَرِقَ النَّاسُ فِي الصُّوفِ فَثَارَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ رِيحَ الْعَرَقِ وَالصُّوفِ حَتَّى كَادَ يُؤْذِي بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى بَلَغَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِذَا كَانَ هَذَا الْيَوْمُ فَاغْتَسِلُوا وَلَيَمَسَّنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ مَا يَجِدُ مِنْ طِيبِهِ أَوْ دُهْنِهِ  

Some people of Iraq came and said: Ibn 'Abbas, do you regard taking a bath on Friday as obligatory ? He said: No, it is only a means of cleanliness, and is better for one who washes oneself. Anyone who does not take a bath, it is not essential for him. I inform you how the bath (on Friday) commenced. The people were poor and used to wear woolen clothes, and would carry loads on their backs. Their mosque was small and its rood was lowered down. It was a sort of trellis of vine. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once came out on a hot day and the people perspired profusely in the woolen clothes so much so that foul smell emitted from them and it caused trouble to each other. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ found the foul smell, he said: O people, when this day (Friday) comes, you should take bath and every one should anoint the best oil and perfume one has. Ibn 'Abbas then said: Then Allah, the Exalted, provided wealth (to the people) and they wore clothes other than the woolen, and were spared from work, and their mosque became vast. The foul smell that caused trouble to them became non-existent. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 353)   

لَا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَطْهَرُ وَخَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اغْتَسَلَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَغْتَسِلْ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ بِوَاجِبٍ وَسَأَخْبِرُكُمْ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ الْغُسْلُ كَانَ النَّاسُ مَجْهُودِينَ يَلْبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ وَكَانَ مَسْجِدُهُمْ ضَيِّقًا مُقَارِبَ السَّقْفِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ عَرِيشٌ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي يَوْمٍ حَارٍّ وَعَرِقَ النَّاسُ فِي ذَلِكَ الصُّوفِ حَتَّى ثَارَتْ مِنْهُمْ رِيَاحٌ آذَى بِذَلِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فَلَمَّا وَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ الرِّيحَ قَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِذَا كَانَ هَذَا الْيَوْمُ فَاغْتَسِلُوا وَلْيَمَسَّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مَا يَجِدُ مِنْ دُهْنِهِ وَطِيبِهِ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ اللهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَلَبِسُوا غَيْرَ الصُّوفِ وَكُفُوا الْعَمَلَ وَوُسِّعَ مَسْجِدُهُمْ وَذَهَبَ بَعْضُ الَّذِي كَانَ يُؤْذِي بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا مِنَ الْعَرَقِ  

"عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: الغُسْلُ يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ لَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ، وَمَنِ اغْتَسَلَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّاسُ عَلَى عَهْد رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يَلبَسُونَ الصُّوفَ (وكَانَ المَسْجِد ضَيِّفًا فَخَطَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِى يَوْم شَدِيدِ الحَرِّ، فَعَرقَ النَّاسُ فِى الصُّفُوف (*) فَثَارَ رِيحُ الصُّوفِ حَتَّى كَادَ يُؤْذِى بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى بَلَغَتْ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: يَا أيها الناس! إذا كان هذا اليوم فاغتسلوا وليمس أَحَدُكُمْ أَطْيَبَ مَا يَجِدُ مِنْ طِيبِهِ أَوْ دُهْنِهِ".