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Does touching a disabled person who has no control over anything nullify ritual ablution (wudu')?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Regarding your work in caring for a person with a mental disability, it is permissible, taking the following into consideration:

1. His private parts (awrah) must be covered and cleaned from behind a barrier, such as wearing gloves, to avoid soiling the hand with impurities and looking at the private parts. This is what the Permanent Committee has ruled. 2. A mentally disabled person who has no desire towards women falls under the ruling of (غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ) (those men who have no sexual desire). Therefore, it is permissible to uncover what is usually visible in front of him, such as the head, face, arms, and feet. This is what the jurists have adopted. 3. If there is a need or necessity to look at or touch his private parts, such as for medical reasons, then it is permissible due to necessity, and it is estimated according to its extent. 4. If you touch his private parts without a barrier, your ablution (wudu') is nullified, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: (Whoever touches his private parts, let him perform ablution). However, touching the rest of his body does not nullify ablution. 5. It is preferable for women to attend to the service of women, and for men to attend to the service of men. So, if it is easy for you to serve a woman, that is better.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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