The Second Answer to the Question: How do you respond to the one who says that the Friday bath is recommended because there is an indication that shifted the command to recommendation in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):

The Shaykh : The Second Answer: Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that the second hadith indicates recommendation, but the first hadith indicates obligation. If we want to abrogate the obligation stated in the first hadith with the recommendation stated in the second hadith, this requires us to know which one came first and which came later. This is something that cannot be determined. If that is the case, we return to what we know of the wisdom of legislation and the style of legislation. It is presumed that in many of the well-known rulings in Islam, the Wise Lawgiver does not start by making the harder thing obligatory, but rather the easier one. And its examples are known to everyone, if Allah wills. So if we have these two hadiths, we say: The second hadith was a preparation for the other ruling, which is the one that came in the first hadith as a preparation for it; because this is what the wisdom of sequential legislation requires. The most famous example of this, which is not hidden from the general Muslims, is the sequence in the prohibition of intoxicants, the sequence in the prohibition of things they used to consume in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, such as gold and silk, and the like. So much so that it is established that “the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ascended the pulpit one day and in his hand was a gold ring, so he threw it.” This is on the basis of permissibility, on the original state of permissibility, in one narration. And in another narration: “The ring was of silver.” And I do not remember the truth now because I have not reviewed it recently, but the point is that it is known that gold and silver were permissible in the early days of Islam, until one of the Companions wore a gold ring, even after the death of the Messenger (peace be upon him). And when he was asked about it, he argued that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had given it to him and ordered him to wear it. It is possible that this was a special privilege for him... and it is possible that this was in the description of permissibility, so he understood the continuity of the ruling for him.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh : So, the point is, if we remember this rule in... legislation of rulings, it becomes easy for us then to answer with the following answer: That this was before he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the bath on Friday for this hadith that you mentioned, and other hadiths, the most famous of which is: .
And may Allah have mercy on you.
The student: May He guide us and rectify your affairs.