Talq Ibn ʿAli (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man said to the Prophet (salallāhuʿalaihi wasallam):
مَسَسْتُ ذَكَرِي أَوْ قَالَ اَلرَّجُلُ يَمَسُّ ذَكَرَهُ فِي اَلصَّلَاةِ, أَعَلَيْهِ وُضُوءٍ
“I touched my penis — does a man who touches his penis during the prayer have to refresh his wudoo’?” So the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) replied:
لَا, إِنَّمَا هُوَ بَضْعَةٌ مِنْكَ
“No — it is just a member of your body.”
[Saheeh: reported by Ahmad (3/22-23), Abu Dawood (182), An-Nasā’ee (1/101), At-Tirmidhi (85), Ibn Mājah (483), Ibn Hibbān (2/223) — graded saheeh by al-Albāni in al-Mishkāt (1/104), and he said in his notes on Subulus-Salām: “Whoever declared it to be weak as no proof.” Ibn Hajr said in al-Fath (1/254), “Saheeh or hasan.”]
Busrah bint Safwān (Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:
مَنْ مَسَّ ذَكَرَهُ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ
“Whoever touches his penis should perform wudoo’.”
[Saheeh: Ahmad (6/406), Abu Dawood (181), an-Nasā’ee (1/100), at-Tirmidhi (82), Ibn Mājah (479), Ibn Hibbān — graded saheeh by al-Albāni in al-Irwā’ (1/150)]
Does touching the private parts (man or woman) nullify the wudoo’?
The scholars, from the time of the Sahābah till now, have held various views regarding this issue.
First: A group stated that it nullifies the wudoo’.
Second: Another body of scholars held that it does not nullify the wudoo’.
Third: Yet another group of scholars held that it is recommended and not obligatory to make wudoo’ after touching the private parts, and this was the view of Imām Ahmad and Ibn Khuzaymah. It was also the preferred opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn ʿUthaimeen. By doing so, they gathered between the two hadeeth, and acted upon both.
Fourth: There is another view that states that the wudoo’ is nullified when the private part is touched with desire. This has been reported as one of the sayings of Ahmad, Malik and the preferred view of al-Albāni in ‘Tamām al-Minnah.’
It is known in the arena of Usool al-Fiqh that harmonising and gathering between the saheeh narrations is a branch of authenticating them [because by harmonising, they are all acted upon]. So, harmonising is given precedence over singling one to be followed to the exclusion of another — and it is given precedence over claiming abrogation without clear proof. Since both of the hadeeth are authentic, then to act upon them both leaves us with the third and fourth above views of the scholars.
And it is the third saying among the sayings of the scholars that is better, and Allah knows best. The fourth view is not as strong since there is no clear evidence in the ahādeeth that includes the mention of touching with desire.
So, in conclusion, it is desirable and recommended, not obligatory, for a man or woman to make wudoo’ after touching their private parts — or even each other’s private parts.
As for the hadeeth ascribed to Abu Hurayrah where the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:
«إِذَا أَفْضَى أَحَدُكُمْ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى ذَكَرِهِ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا شَيْءٌ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ
“When one of you touches his private part with his hand, and there is no barrier (cloth) between his hand and his penis, then let him make wudoo’.” Reported by ash-Shafiʿee and ad-Dāruqutnee. The narration is weak, not authentic, as stated by Shaikh al-Albāni. See his notes on Mishkāt al-Masābeeh 1/105.
Shaikh al-Albāni was asked about touching the private parts while making ghusl, and whether it nullifies the wudoo’. So he responded that in that situation, the wudoo’ is not invalidated. (al-Hudā wan-Noor 184/16: 24: 00)
And Allah knows best.
