performing ablution afterward, have come to harbor the rancor they do. For this reason, “he commanded ablution after eating food touched by fire.” This is an authentic hadith. Yet authentic hadiths also establish that he ate food touched by fire without performing ablution afterward. It has therefore been said that the former ruling was abrogated. However, it has not been established that the former preceded the latter. Indeed, it was narrated by Abū Hurayrah, whose acceptance of Islam came after the events related in some of those hadiths, such as the report concerning parched-grain meal at Khaybar, which preceded his acceptance of Islam.

Another view is that the command to perform ablution after eating food touched by fire indicates recommendation, like the command to perform ablution when angry. This is the stronger of the two views, both of which are positions within Ahmad’s school. Abrogation should only be invoked when there is an irreconcilable conflict and an established chronology; neither is present here. By contrast, interpreting a command as indicating recommendation has many precedents.

Likewise, ablution after touching the penis or touching women belongs to this category, because such contact arouses desire. Performing ablution after something that arouses desire is like performing it because of anger or after eating food touched by fire: all belong to this category, for anger comes from Satan, and Satan was created from fire.

As for camel meat, it has been said that performing ablution after eating it is recommended. However, the Prophet’s distinction—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—between it and sheep meat, even though the latter has been touched by fire and ablution after eating it is recommended, indicates a distinct ruling. Nothing ranks above recommendation except obligation. Moreover, the satanic influence in camels is inherent, whereas in food touched by fire it is incidental. This is why he forbade prayer in their regular resting enclosures: Satan constantly accompanies them there. By contrast, prayer where they rest during travel is permissible, because this is only temporary. And latrines