Purification

The reason why scholars prioritise the book of purification over all other books and chapters of jurisprudence is because the most important pillar of Islam after the two testimonies (i.e., taking Shahaada) is prayer, and leaving it is considered (according to some schools of Fiqh) as a blasphemy and a religious crime as it will be detailed in the beginning of the book of prayer Inshaa Allah and among the conditions that must be met before a prayer is validated is purity according to what Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahou Alayhe Wasallam ﷺ ) said: “The prayer of one of you will not be accepted if he breaks his wudu until he performs ablution” [Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim], and for his saying, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “Allah does not accept any Salat (prayer) without purification, and He does not accept any charity from Ghulul (i.e., unfairness)” [narrated by Muslim], and for his saying, peace be upon him: “The key to prayer is purification…” and for his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “purification is half of faith” [narrated by Muslim] and the scholars agreed that prayer is not valid without it [Al-Ijma’ p.31, Al-Awsat 1/107, al-Muhalla: The beginning of Purification Book 72/1, Issue (110), Ardah Al-Ahwadhi 8/1, Ibn Rushd narrated in the beginning of Al-Mujtahid 1/63, 90, and Sheikh Taqi Al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu’ al-Fatwas 34/7, 248/21, 378, 379, 199/23 and 29/194, and Al-Qarafi in Al-Thakhira 1/199, 335, that there is consensus on the necessity of purity for prayer].