Does Touching Private Parts Invalidate Wudu? A Comprehensive Analysis

Understanding the Ruling on Touching Private Parts and Wudu

TOUCHING PRIVATE PART AND WUDU (ABLUTION)

Shaykh, Muḥammad ibn Ḥizām -may ALLĀH preserve him- was asked the following question:

Question:

Is touching the private part from the nullifiers of wudu?

Answer:

Some of the people of knowledge have mentioned that from the nullifiers of wudu, is a person touching his private part. For the hadith of Busrah bint Safwan (may ALLĀH be pleased with her), that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever touches his private part, let him do wudu.” {Narrated by all 5 books of hadith}

Also, if the woman touches her private part (she also breaks her wudu), due to the hadith of A’mr bin Shua’yb on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather that said: the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever touches his private part, let him do wudu, and any woman that touches her private part, let her do wudu.” {Narrated Ahmad with a good chain}

And some scholars opposed and said it does not invalidate the wudu and they used as proof the hadith Talq bin Ali (may ALLĀH be pleased with him), that the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked by a man: “A man touches his private part during prayer, is wudu obligatory on him?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “No, it is only a part of you.”

So this hadith indicates that it does not break his wudu. And the first hadith has a stronger chain of narrators and it is authentic. The second hadith is good so some of them have criticized the first hadith.

And the best from that is what Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) has mentioned: that both hadiths are combined so the command of wudu was mustahab (recommended sunnah). And touching the private is not from the nullifiers of wudu but it is recommended to do wudu for whoever touches his private part. And this is what Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) chose, that the command for wudu was merely a recommendation and not obligatory, except if something came out like pre-seminal fluid. In that situation, he would have to make wudu due to the exit of impure liquids.

In conclusion, touching one’s private part does not invalidate the wudu but it is recommended to make wudu from that. And this issue has a difference of opinion between the scholars and most of them hold the opinion that it is considered from the nullifiers (of wudu). And ALLĀH knows best

Translated by:

Kamal bin Hizam Dihbeel Al-Ba’dani