Hadith Text & Reference

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever touches his private part, let him perform Wudu'.'"

Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 444 | The Book of Ghusl and Tayammum

Scholarly Commentary

This hadith establishes that touching one's private parts (whether male or female) necessitates the renewal of wudu (ablution). The private part (al-'awrah) refers specifically to the penis or vagina.

The majority of scholars, including Imam ash-Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad, hold this ruling as obligatory based on this clear textual evidence. However, Imam Abu Hanifah considered it recommended (mustahabb) rather than obligatory.

The wisdom behind this ruling includes maintaining ritual purity during prayer and cultivating constant awareness of Allah. It serves as a protection against inappropriate touching and promotes cleanliness in worship.

This ruling applies regardless of whether the touch was with or without a barrier, intentionally or unintentionally, and whether it was one's own private part or that of another person.

Practical Application

When one touches their private part directly with bare skin, they should perform wudu before praying. This includes incidental touches during daily activities.

If the touch occurs through a barrier (like clothing) and no moisture is felt, some scholars permit prayer without renewing wudu, though the precautionary approach is to renew it.

This ruling emphasizes the importance of physical purity as a condition for the validity of salah, reflecting the comprehensive nature of Islamic purification laws.