Legal rulings derived from the ḥadith

1. The outward sense of the report makes the Friday bath obligatory, and the basic rule is to keep a ḥadith upon its apparent meaning; the scholarly disagreement over this and the proofs for each view were cited earlier.
2. The ḥadith further shows that the bath is meant for the prayer itself and should precede it—this is the sound view—because it is enacted for the sake of the prayer, not for the day as such. The Ẓāhirīs, however, contend that one may bathe even after the prayer and still fulfil the requirement.
3. It indicates that the optimal time for the bath is just before leaving for the Friday prayer.
4. One purpose of this legislation is that a worshipper should arrive at the places of worship and prayer in the best possible condition and dignified appearance, as in the verse, “O children of Adam, adorn yourselves at every place of worship” (7:31).
5. The bath is prescribed only for the one who intends to attend the prayer; for anyone who will not attend, it is not prescribed. This is stated explicitly in the wording recorded by Ibn Khuzaymah: “And whoever does not come to it is not obliged to bathe.”

Third Ḥadith
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came while the Prophet ﷺ was addressing the people on Friday, whereupon the Prophet said, “So-and-so, have you prayed?” He replied, “No.” The Prophet said, “Stand and pray two rakʿahs.” In another wording: “Then perform two rakʿahs.”

Overall meaning
Sulaik al-Ghatafānī entered the Prophet’s Mosque while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering the sermon. He sat down to listen without praying the two-rakʿah greeting of the mosque. The Prophet, though engaged in the sermon, did not let this teaching moment pass. He asked him, “So-and-so, had you already prayed in another part of the mosque before I saw you?” When the man answered, “No,” the Prophet said, “Rise and offer two rakʿahs.” He did this in full view of the congregation to teach the man when instruction was needed and so that the lesson would be shared by all present.

Scholarly disagreement
Jurists differ over someone who enters the mosque while the preacher is delivering the sermon: should he perform the two-rakʿah greeting of the mosque or sit and listen in silence? Al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad, and the ḥadith scholars hold that he should pray, basing their view on this incident and on the report, “When one of you arrives on Friday while the imam is preaching, let him perform two rakʿahs.”