Does touching a severed limb or a non-female entity nullify ablution?

Chapter on What Nullifies Purification

Al-Mughni

Book of Purification

Book 2 · Issue 8 · Bab 7

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Ablution is not nullified by touching a severed limb of a woman because the term 'woman' no longer strictly applies, and it ceases to be an object of desire. Touching a man or a boy does not nullify ablution, nor does a woman touching another woman, as the latter is not included in the verse nor analogous to it, since the woman is a subject of desire for the man by law and nature, which is not the case here. Touching an animal or an ambiguous hermaphrodite ('Khuntha Mushkal') does not nullify ablution because their nature (male or female) is unknown. The default state is purity, which is not overturned by doubt. There is no known disagreement on these points.