Bismillahir Ar Rahmanir Rahiim
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them a right. We bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad, Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers. All Praise to Allah.
Cleanliness (Thaharah) is an important precondition of Islamic worship (sholat). Wudhu’ (Ablution) is an essential part of Cleanliness. Sholat (prayer) is not valid without Wudhu’ or Tayammum (dry Ablution). Islam encourages cleanliness. Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Surely Allah loves those who turn to Him and those who care for cleanliness” (2:222).
To ensure that this is accomplished, it is mandatory that your body and clothing be clean before performing your shalat. Your prayer will not be valid unless your body and clothing are clean. Clothing must be considered thahir (clean) and removed of all impurities. Impurities include blood, urine, and excrement.
Allah’s Messenger, Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, said: “The key to Paradise is prayer and the key to prayer is cleanliness (Ablution)”. (Narrated by: Tirmidhi, Transmitted by Ahmad, Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah). And He also said: “Allah does not accept prayer without purification …” (Sahih – Muslim and others).
Skin Contact with Different Genders
Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْوَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَالْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ مِنْهُ ۚ مَايُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٦﴾
“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful “. (Al-Ma’idah 5:6).
From this verse of Al-Ma’idah:6, it has been written “contacted woman.” Does this mean that touching a different gender will nullify the wudhu’? There are differences of opinion among the scholars concerning the nullification of Wudاu’ by contacting different genders:
- Some scholars say that it nullifies Wudاu’, such as Imam Al-Shafi`y (radhiallahu ‘anhu).
- Others hold the view that it never nullifies Wudاu’. This is the opinion of Abu Hanifah (radhiallahu ‘anhu).
- Others give some interpretation saying that touching a woman (someone of a different gender) makes Wudاu’ null and void only if accompanied with sexual desire and enjoyment. This is the view of Imam Ahmad (radhiallahu ‘anhu).
The correct opinion, which is supported by evidence, is that touching a woman or an individual of a different gender does not nullify Wudhu’ in any case, whether accompanied by sexual desire or not, provided that a person does not discharge anything. It was reported on the authority of A’ishah (radhiallahu ‘anha), may Allah be pleased with her, that:
The Prophet, Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, kissed a few of his wives, then he went out to pray without performing Wudhu’. [ Abu Dawud no.178-179, At-Tirmidhi no.86 and Ahmad 6: 2, 10, 207.]
She also said, “I would sleep in front of the Prophet (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with my feet in the direction of the qiblah (to him). When he prostrated, he would touch me, and I would move my feet.” In another narration it says, “When he wanted to prostrate, he would touch my legs.”
If skin contact with different genders nullifies the Wudhu’, the Prophet, Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, would have elaborated on it clearly. As for Allah’s saying in another recitation of the Holy Qur’an:
.….or you have been in contact with women (it means by sexual relations) ( An-NIsa:43),
It refers to sexual intercourse. This is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas (radhiallahu ‘anhu) and a group of scholars, which is the right view in the matter.
As for the term lamastum, Ibn `Abbas states that whenever lamastum (touch) is used by Allah in the Holy Qur’an in reference to males and females, it specifically means sexual intercourse. Examples of the verses of the Holy Qur’an where the term lamastum is used to refer to sexual intercourse. In surat Al `Imran: 47,
“She said: ‘O my Lord how shall I have a son when no man hath touched me……’”,
And in surat Al-Baqarah: 187,
“But do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the Mosques those are limits by Allah.”
Thus the “touch” here means the private contact.
Eating Camel’s Meat
Another case which has differing opinions among scholars concerning nullification of the Wudhu’ is eating camel’s meat.
The scholars have two opinions concerning the ablution of one who eats camel meat. The first opinion is from the majority of scholars: whoever eats the meat of camels does not have to renew his ablution. The second opinion is that one is obligated to renew his ablution because of eating camel meat regardless of whether the meat is raw or cooked.
As indicated in the hadith, Jaabir bin Samurah (radhiallaahu ‘anhu) reported that:
“A man once asked the Messenger of Allaah (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam): ‘Should I perform ablution from sheep meat?’ He (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘If you wish, you may perform ablution, and if you wish you may not.’ He then asked: ‘Should I perform ablution from camel meat?’ He (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Yes, perform ablution from camel meat.’ He asked: ‘Can I pray in the sheep pens?’ He (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): ‘Yes.’ The man asked: ‘Can I pray in the camel stables?’ He (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘No.’” {Reported by Muslim (360)].
And there is also another hadith of Al-Baraa’ bin ‘Aazib who said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was asked about performing ablution after eating camel meat, so he (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: ‘Perform ablution from it.’ And he (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was asked about the meat of sheep, so he said: ‘Do not perform ablution from it.’ He (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was asked about praying in the stables of camels, so he replied:‘Do not pray in the camel stables for indeed they are from the devils.’ And he (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was asked about praying in sheep pens, so he replied: ‘Pray in them for indeed they are a blessing.’” [Reported by Abu Dawood (184) and others with an authentic chain of narration].
Those who said that eating camel meat nullifies Wudhu’ stated this because it is authentically reported from the Prophet (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that he said: Perform Wudhu’ after eating camel meat and do not perform Wudhu’ after eating mutton. The Prophet (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was asked: Should I do Wudhu’ after eating mutton? He (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If you wish.” Then the same person asked, “Should I do Wudhu’ after eating camel meat?” he (Salallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Yes”. (Narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih).
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever is of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength. May Allah guide all of us to the right path.
Source:
-Book of M. Ali Hasan, Comparative Fiqh School, King Grafindo Persada. Jakarta, cet. 2nd. 2002, p. 35.
– Book of Prof. Teungku Muhammad Hasbi Ash-Shiddiqie
-Fatwa Ibn Baaz: Volume 10 > Book of Taharah > Chapter on Invalidators of Wudu’ > Touching a woman when having performed Wudhu’ and eating camel meat.
– Fatwa Ibn Taymiyya: islamawareness.net/Wudu/fatwa_touching
