The Sheikh of Islam [Ibn Taymiyya] was asked regarding the word of the Most High { Tell the believers to lower their looking and to guard their private parts, for that is purer for them; truly Allah is well aware of what they do } [Al-nur 30], and regarding the hadith of the Prophet (SAW) in mentioning adultery of all the members, and what a man must do if he touches the hand of a smooth and beardless boy [amrad]; is this in the same category as women, invalidating ablution, or not? And what must a man do if he comes to a smooth, beardless servant of his, and puts his hand on this and that, and takes pleasure from it? And what has been said regarding the prohibition of looking at the pleasing face of a smooth, beardless boy? And is the hadith that has been related – that looking at a nice face is worship – sound or not? And if someone says: I do not look at a nice smooth, beardless boy for any reason, but if I see one I say “Exalted is Allah, blessed is Allah, the best of creators” – is it correct to say this or not? Grant us the reward of your judgment. And he (may Allah consecrate his spirit and illuminate his grave and have mercy on him and be pleased with him and make profitable his knowledge and bring us close together in his party) answered: Praise be to Allah, if a man touches a smooth, beardless boy out of desire, there are two opinions in the school of Ahmad and others. The first of these is that, like touching women out of desire, ablution is invalidated; this is widespread in the school of Malik, mentioned by Qadi Abu Ya’la in commentary on this school. This is one of two views in the school of Al-Shafi’i. The second opinion is that it is not invalidated; this is widespread in the school of Al-Shafi’i. The first opinion is the purest, for indeed intercourse in the rear annuls the acts of worship that are annulled by intercourse in the front, such as fasting, ritual purity for pilgrimage [ihram], and remaining in the mosque for devotion [i’tikaf], and necessitates washing as this necessitates it.