Is starting Wudu with the right limbs (Taymun) obligatory?
Chapter on Siwak and the Sunnah of Wudu
Al-Mughni
Book of Purification
Primary text
It is recommended to begin with the right limbs (Taymun) in Wudu based on the Prophet's preference for starting with the right in all matters, including wearing sandals, grooming, and purification. This is supported by the Hadith where the Prophet commanded: 'When you perform ablution, begin with your right sides.' This recommendation is held by the people of Medina, Iraq, Sham, and the Ahl al-Ra'y. The companions Uthman and Ali both narrated that the Prophet started with the right before the left.
Supporting text
It is not obligatory to start with the right side. The consensus is that there is no need to repeat the Wudu if one starts with the left limb before the right. The basis for this leniency is that the hands are considered one limb, and likewise the feet, as indicated in the verse, 'And your hands and your feet' (Quran 5:6), without specific separation. The jurists view the pairs (hands and feet) as single limbs, and within a single limb, order is not obligatory.