Every new born child must be bathed, and also the body of every person who has died should be bathed before the Janazah Prayer. However, for those who are martyred or killed during war or murdered in any way, an exception is made and they are not bathed.
Apart from the occasions when bathing becomes necessary, the taking of a bath every Friday, on the celebrations of ‘Id and just before performing Hajj were strongly emphasised by the Holy Prophet(sa).
It is interesting to note that the Holy Founder(sa) of Islam used to take a bath in the following manner:
He would start bathing by performing Wudu’, i.e. ablution, but not including washing of the feet which he would do at the end. Then he would pour water at least three times on the right side of his body, followed by three times on the left. He bathed so meticulously that every pore of every part of his body was washed thoroughly.
In all such conditions where bathing becomes obligatory, one can neither perform Prayer without bathing nor enter the mosque, nor recite the Holy Quran. Exception is made for women during their periods as far as the reading of the Holy Quran is concerned. They can read the Holy Quran but are advised not to touch it with their bare hands.