Would it be sunnah to make new wudu for salaat al ishraaq when staying in the mosque after fajr? Or is the hadith about new wudu for every prayer only about the five obligatory prayers? I am interested in the opinions of the four school of thoughts.

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It is recommended to make a new Wudhoo’ for the Ishraaq prayer for the person who had performed Fajr prayer with his previous Wudhoo’. The jurists held different opinions regarding the renewal of Wudhoo’, when it is recommended and when it is not. The Encyclopedia of Fiqh reads:

“Renewing Wudhoo’ is an act of Sunnah according to the majority of the scholars or recommended according to the different terminology used by different schools. There are two reported opinions for Imaam Ahmad, the preponderant of which is the same adopted by the majority of scholars and the other is that renewing Wudhoo’ is not of virtue.

The Shaafiʻis held that it is recommended to renew Wudhoo’ only when the worshipper had performed a prayer with the first Wudhoo’, even if only two Rakʻahs. If the worshipper did not perform any prayer with the first Wudhoo’, then renewing it in this case is not an act of Sunnah. If the worshipper makes a new Wudhoo’, his Wudhoo’ is invalid because it is not needed.

The Hanafis maintained that the two instances of Wudhoo’ should be separated with a sitting or a prayer; if not, it is disliked to renew the (intact) Wudhoo’. Some Hanafis were reported to have considered the renewal of Wudhoo’ as permissible in this case, even if the two instances of Wudhoo’ are not separated with a sitting or a prayer.

The Maalikis held that it is recommended to renew Wudhoo’ only when the worshipper performs any act of worship such as Tawaaf or prayer with it.

The evidence that it is legitimate is the Hadeeth that reads: "Whoever makes Wudhoo' in a state of purity, ten rewards are recorded for him."

The Khulafaa' (the Rightly-Guided Caliphs) would make Wudhoo’ for each prayer. ʻAli would do so and recite the verse that reads (what means): {O you who have believed, when you rise to (perform) prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.} [Quran 5:6] Moreover, Wudhoo’ was obligatory for each prayer in the early days of Islam, but the obligation was abrogated and the act remained recommended and virtuous.” [End of quote]

Allaah Knows best.