Does immersing the hand into water before washing it invalidate the water's purity for ablution?
Chapter on Siwak and the Sunnah of Wudu
Al-Mughni
Book of Purification
Primary text
The ruling depends on the scholarly position regarding the obligation of washing the hand before immersion. If washing the hand is not obligatory, immersion has no effect on the water. If washing the hand is obligatory, and the water is abundant such that it repels impurity from itself, immersion also has no effect. If the water is scarce, Ahmad favored pouring out the water, suggesting an obligation to discard it, which is also the view of Al-Hasan. This latter view is supported by the prohibition on immersion, implying its effect, and a narration attributed to the Prophet, peace be upon him, stating: "If he introduces it before washing, he pours out the water." This narration is reported by Abu Hafs Umar ibn Al-Muslim Al-Ukbari.
Supporting text
It is also plausible that the water's purity remains and discarding it is not obligatory. This is because the water's purity was established with certainty, and the forbidden immersion does not nullify that certainty, as the immersion is only an apprehension of impurity, and apprehension does not remove certainty. Furthermore, certainty is not removed by doubt, and even less so by mere apprehension. If the prohibition is purely devotional (*ta'abbudi*), one should limit the ruling to the requirements of the command and prohibition—the obligation of washing and the prohibition of immersion—without extending it further. It cannot be analogous to removing ritual impurity (*hadath*) because this situation does not involve the removal of *hadath*, and the immersion of one in a state of major impurity requires the intention to remove *hadath* for it to have an effect, which is not required here regardless of intention. Abu Al-Khattab reported two narrations concerning whether immersion invalidates the water's purity.