The scholars differed over whether it is disliked for either spouse to look at the other’s private parts: is it disliked, not disliked, or disliked only during intercourse? These are three well-known views within the school of Ahmad and elsewhere.

Several leading scholars, including Ahmad, regarded entering the water without a waist-wrapper as disliked. They related from al-Hasan and al-Husayn, or from one of them, that he disliked this and said, “Water has its inhabitants.”

As for opening the bathhouse at the time of Friday prayer and allowing Muslims to enter and remain there, neglecting their obligation to proceed to Friday prayer, this too is forbidden by Muslim consensus. Allah has forbidden trade after the call to Friday prayer, even though people generally need it. This prohibition thus draws attention to the prohibition of less pressing activities, such as sitting in a bathhouse, a garden or elsewhere.

Friday prayer is obligatory by Muslim consensus, and it is therefore impermissible to miss it without a valid excuse recognized by Islamic law. Going to the bathhouse is not such an excuse, by Muslim consensus. Rather, if someone goes merely for enjoyment, he is sinful and disobedient. If he is in a state of major ritual impurity, he can bathe beforehand; he has no right to delay bathing, nor is it permissible to miss the prayer.

Rather, the authorities must order everyone obliged to attend Friday prayer to do so, whether they are in the marketplaces, in their homes or elsewhere. Anyone who fails to fulfil this obligation is to be punished for