Renewing ablution or catching the Takbeerat Al-Ihraam
20-1-2014 | IslamWeb
Question:
A fellow brother likes to renew ablution for each prayer, even if the Iqaamah has been made and the Imaam precedes him by one and sometimes two Rak‘ahs. So, what is the ruling on renewing ablution when the Iqaamah has been made? May Allaah reward you.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There is no doubt that renewing ablution for each prayer is a virtue. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah 
that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Unless I would make it difficult for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to renew ablution for each prayer.” [Ahmad: good chain of narrators] Anas narrated, “The Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to make ablution for each prayer.” [Ahmad and Al-Bukhari]
However, a person should not occupy himself with renewing ablution and, as a result of that, miss the Takbeerat Al-Ihraam with the Imaam in a congregational prayer, because he gets occupied with something good instead of doing something better. What is, then, the case of the person who misses one or two Rak‘ahs! Catching the Takbeerat Al-Ihraam with the Imaam on time is better than renewing ablution. It is narrated on the authority of Anas that he quoted the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as saying, “Whoever prays to Allaah for forty days in congregation, catching the first Takbeerah, will be recorded as being free from two things: free from the Fire and free from hypocrisy.” [At-Tirmithi: good chain of narrators]
When a congregational prayer is established, no other prayer should be engaged in because the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said in an authentic Hadeeth, “When the Iqaamah for prayer is made, no prayer should be performed except the prescribed prayer.”
As this applies to optional prayers, then how should the situation be as regards renewing ablution!
Satan would likely inspire some people that it is better for them to have ablution for each prayer because ablution expiates sins and elevates their level, thereby wanting them to miss Takbeerat Al-Ihraam or the reward for praying in congregation. This is a form of Satan’s plot as evidenced by the saying of Ibn Al-Qayyim, “Satan would open seventy doors of good so as to open a door of evil or make a person lose a door of good that is greater than the other seventy.”
Allaah Knows best.