Does Touching the Private Part Invalidate Wudu? – Detailed Explanation
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Chapter: Issues of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 89
Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Sahib stated that touching the private part (i.e., the male organ) directly without a covering does not invalidate wudu, citing a hadith in which the private part is described as a part of the body.
However, the question arises:
◈ Most scholars issue the fatwa that touching the private part does invalidate wudu.
◈ These scholars act upon another hadith which includes touching the private part among the nullifiers of wudu.
Is this not a contradiction? And what is the correct ruling in this matter?
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
The hadith of Busrāh bint Ṣafwān (RA) is evidence that touching the private part with the hand makes wudu obligatory.
As for the hadith of Ṭalq bin ʿAlī (RA), scholars have interpreted it to apply to the case when the organ is touched through a barrier (e.g., clothing), not directly.
Some scholars have also mentioned that the hadith of Ṭalq bin ʿAlī (RA) occurred earlier in time, before the ruling was fully clarified by the hadith of Busrāh bint Ṣafwān (RA).
For deeper understanding and satisfaction of the heart, it is beneficial to study:
◈ Tuhfat al-Ahwadhī
◈ Nayl al-Awtār
◈ Mir’āt al-Mafātīḥ
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Chapter: Issues of Purification, Vol. 1, p. 89
The Question
Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Sahib stated that touching the private part (i.e., the male organ) directly without a covering does not invalidate wudu, citing a hadith in which the private part is described as a part of the body.
However, the question arises:
◈ Most scholars issue the fatwa that touching the private part does invalidate wudu.
◈ These scholars act upon another hadith which includes touching the private part among the nullifiers of wudu.
Is this not a contradiction? And what is the correct ruling in this matter?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
① Evidence for Wudu Being Required
The hadith of Busrāh bint Ṣafwān (RA) is evidence that touching the private part with the hand makes wudu obligatory.
② Understanding the Hadith of Ṭalq bin ʿAlī (RA)
As for the hadith of Ṭalq bin ʿAlī (RA), scholars have interpreted it to apply to the case when the organ is touched through a barrier (e.g., clothing), not directly.
③ Chronological Consideration
Some scholars have also mentioned that the hadith of Ṭalq bin ʿAlī (RA) occurred earlier in time, before the ruling was fully clarified by the hadith of Busrāh bint Ṣafwān (RA).
Recommended References for Detailed Study
For deeper understanding and satisfaction of the heart, it is beneficial to study:
◈ Tuhfat al-Ahwadhī
◈ Nayl al-Awtār
◈ Mir’āt al-Mafātīḥ
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
