The Ritual Bath of Jumu’ah, Entering the Bathhouse, Its Etiquette, and Teachings on Cleanliness and Beautification

It was narrated by Ubaidullah Al-Marafiqi that he entered a bathhouse in Medina and saw an elderly man who was the caretaker of the bathhouse. (Al-Marafiqi) said to him: ‘O’ Shaykh, 'To whom does this bathhouse belong?' (Old man) said: ‘It belongs to Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام’ (Al-Marafiqi) asked: 'Did he use to come here?' (Old man) replied: 'Yes.' So (Al-Marafiqi) asked: ‘And what does He do (in the bathhouse)?’ (Old man) said: 'He would enter and first anoint the area around his private parts and what was near it. Then, he would wrap his waistcloth (izar) around the edges of his private area and call me to anoint the rest of his body." One day, I said to him, "What you would dislike for me to see, I have already seen.' Imam عليه السلام said: 'Not at all; the Nuura (depilatory paste) is a form of covering.'