Touching and Its Effect on Wudu — "Or you touched women" and the Juristic Disagreement

Verse: "Or you have touched women." (4:43 and 5:6)

Reading variation: "Lamamastum" (with alif of mutual action) read by Nafi, Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr, Ibn Amir — "Lamaastum" (without alif) read by Asim, Hamzah, Al-Kisai. Both are authentic readings that influence the disagreement.

Scholarly opinions:

1. Shafi'is and Malikis (first view): Touching invalidates wudu — "lamastum" here means mere touching beyond intercourse. But Malikis require lustful intent.
2. Hanafis: Touching does not invalidate — the intent is intercourse itself — metaphorical usage.
3. Hanbalis: Touching with desire invalidates — without desire it does not.

Strongest view: The Hanafi position has stronger evidence — the hadith of Aisha: "The Prophet would kiss and then pray without performing wudu." (Abu Dawud 179 — graded hasan by Ibn Hajar) And the verse appears in the context of tayammum when water is unavailable — and its customary causes (travel, lack of water, illness, and intercourse).