Is the jurisprudential disagreement regarding the invalidation of wudu by touching the private parts considered a permissible difference of opinion that does not affect the validity of a Muslim's prayer, regardless of which view they adopt?

The issue of invalidating ablution by touching the male organ is one about which disagreement is permissible. The madhhab of Ibn Umar, Sa'id, and Ata, which is the well-known opinion of Malik, some Companions and Tabi'in, and some Imams of Hadith, holds that touching the male organ invalidates ablution. They adduced as proof the hadiths: "Whoever touches his male organ, let him perform ablution," and "Whoever touches his private parts, let him perform ablution."

Whereas Ali, Ammar, Ibn Mas'ud, some Companions and Tabi'in, Al-Thawri, Ibn al-Mundhir, and the People of Opinion held that it does not invalidate ablution. They adduced as proof the hadith: "Is it but a piece of your flesh (or a morsel of your flesh)?"

The preponderant opinion is that touching the male organ directly with the palm invalidates ablution. The layperson is given the choice to adopt whichever of the two opinions he wishes.