Most of these practices are simply intended to remove dirt. When the moustache grows long, dirt from food, drink, and other things clings to it. Likewise, when the mouth becomes foul, the tooth-stick cleans it. Rinsing the mouth and drawing water into the nose clean the mouth and nose, while clipping the nails removes the dirt that accumulates beneath them. Hence the report:

“One of you comes to me with dirt from his bodily folds beneath his fingernails.”

This means the dirt that he scrapes from the folds of his body with his fingernails. The finger joints are also washed because dirt accumulates on them in a way that it does not between the joints. The same applies to the armpits, since underarm sweat comes from the hair, and likewise to pubic hair when it grows long.

In Sahīh Muslim, Anas ibn Mālik said:

“A time limit was set for us concerning trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, plucking the underarm hair, and shaving the pubic hair: we were not to leave them for more than forty nights.”

This, then, is the longest that the hair and nails which we are instructed to remove may be left.

In Sahīh Muslim, Abū Hurayrah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“It is Allah’s right over every Muslim that he bathe once every seven days, washing his head and body.”

According to one of the two scholarly opinions, this is a regular, recommended weekly bath for cleanliness, even if one does not attend Friday prayer. Thus, it is performed even by those for whom Friday prayer is not obligatory.

Jābir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Every Muslim man is required to bathe on one day in every seven, and that day is Friday.”