for their view; analogy based on the principles of Islamic law also supports it. Those who hold that touching never invalidates ablution understand “touching” here to mean intercourse, as in the words of Allah Most High:

“If you divorce them before you have touched them.”

There are many similar examples.

The Sunan collections report that the Prophet “kissed one of his wives, then prayed without performing ablution.” However, the authenticity of this report has been questioned.

Moreover, it is well known that men touching their wives is an everyday occurrence: a man regularly touches his wife. Had this invalidated ablution, the Prophet would have explained it to his community, and it would have been well known among the Companions. Yet no one has reported that any Companion would perform ablution merely because his hand touched his wife or another woman, nor has anyone transmitted a hadith from the Prophet to that effect. It is thus clear that this view is false. And Allah knows best.

He was asked:

Does touching women invalidate ablution or not?

He answered:

The jurists hold three views on this:

First: It does not invalidate ablution under any circumstances. This is the view of Abū Hanīfa and others.