What is the precise ruling on the Friday bath? Is it obligatory, and does one sin by leaving it?

The questioner : Your Eminence, what is the precise ruling on the Friday bath? Is it a recommended practice or obligatory?
And if the position that it is obligatory is the one relied upon, does one sin by leaving it?
Also, we observe the phenomenon of begging in the mosques. What is our stance regarding the beggars? Do we strictly prevent them, or should we be cautious of them, or investigate their circumstances?
What is the precise ruling on this? May Allah prolong your benefit.

The Shaykh : These are two questions.

The questioner : The number is small, perhaps you will allow it, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : In any case, the correct view regarding the Friday bath is that it is obligatory, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and we know that the most eloquent and clearest of people in expression is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so it is not possible for him to describe something that is not obligatory as obligatory.
And we also know that the most sincere of people in clarifying his intent and guiding creation is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So how could he say: while intending something other than obligatory? Because if he intended something other than obligatory with the word "obligatory," that would be deception of the one addressed, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is free from that and cleared of it. He is the most severe and most sincere of people toward creation.
Then he qualified it with a description that necessitates obligation, which is his saying: meaning: upon every adult, and the adult is the one subject to obligation, because a non-adult is not obligated in anything.
So the correct view is that it is obligatory. As for what is mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , this is weak and does not authentically come from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for what you mentioned regarding the state of the beggars.

The questioner : Does the view that it is obligatory mean one sins by leaving it?

The Shaykh : Yes, and if we say that it is obligatory, then one sins by leaving it. But is the Friday prayer valid if one leaves it?
The answer is: Yes, it is valid even if one leaves it, because this bath is not for a state of ritual impurity, it is not for major ritual impurity, so that we would say that the Friday prayer is not valid. And indicating its validity is the story of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) when he entered while the Commander of the Faithful, Umar, was delivering the sermon to the people on Friday. He rebuked him for that, and he said: meaning: How do you settle for the ablution and leave the bath?
, so he rebuked him for that in front of the people, for leaving the bath, and he allowed him to pray the Friday prayer. If it had not been valid, he would have said: Go and bathe. Yes.