Ruling on touching the penis with the right hand

Praise be to Allah.

It is makrooh to touch the penis with the right hand when urinating, because of the hadeeth of Abu Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you drinks, he should not breathe into the vessel, and when he relieves himself, he should not touch his penis with his right hand or wipe himself with his right hand.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 194; Muslim, 393.

According to another report narrated by Muslim (392): “No one among you should touch his penis with his right hand when urinating.” 

Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said: 

This hadeeth indicates that it is not allowed for the one who is urinating to hold his penis with his right hand whilst urinating, because this is contrary to honouring the right hand. 

The majority of scholars interpreted this prohibition as meaning that it is makrooh – as stated by an-Nawawi and others – because that comes under the heading of etiquette and good manners, and because it comes under the heading of protecting the dignity of the right hand. This prohibition does not go so far as meaning that this action is haraam (rather it is makrooh and disliked). 

Dawood az-Zaahiri and Ibn Hazm were of the view that it is prohibited in the sense of being haraam, based on the principle that prohibition of a thing means that it is haraam. 

But the view of the majority is more likely to be correct, and that this prohibition is by way of showing etiquette and proper manners. This is supported by, among other things, the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the penis: “Is it anything other than a part of you…?” 

End quote from Minhah al-‘Allaam Sharh Buloogh al-Maraam, 1/312 

Al-Khattaabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Touching the penis with the right hand is only disliked so as to protect it from touching part of the body that could be unclean and dirty. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used his right hand for eating, drinking and dressing himself, and his left hand for other bodily functions.

End quote from Ma‘aalim as-Sunan, 1/23 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Because when a person is urinating, some drops may fall on him, and if that happens, they should fall on the left hand, not the right hand. But sometimes a person may be compelled to do that (use the right hand), and if that is the case then there is nothing wrong with it, such as if he cannot move his left hand; in that case he has no choice but to touch his penis with his right hand, and there is nothing wrong with it. But when there is no need for that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade that and said: “No one among you should touch his penis with his right hand when he is urinating.”

End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mukhtasar li Buloogh al-Maraam. 

Secondly: 

In the hadeeth, this prohibition is limited to when one is urinating, so it may be understood that it is permissible at other times. 

In his Saheeh, al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) named one of his chapters, “Chapter: One should not hold the penis with the right hand when he urinates.  

Al-Haafiz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In this title, he indicated that what is narrated about not touching the penis with the right hand in general terms, as in the preceding chapter, is to be interpreted in the light of the reports that are more specific and state that this applies when one is urinating, so in other situations it is permissible.

End quote from Fath al-Baari, 1/254 

In his Sunan, Abu Dawood (may Allah have mercy on him) named one of his chapters: It is makrooh to touch the penis with the right hand when cleaning oneself. 

In at-Taaj wa’l-Ikleel (1/388) it says: The fuqaha’ understood this as meaning that it is makrooh, and the prohibition on touching it in the other hadeeth is limited to when one is cleaning oneself. End quote. 

Based on that, it is permissible to touch it with the right hand during intercourse, unless there is the fear that that hand may be contaminated with madhiy, in which case it is makrooh. 

And Allah knows best.