ablution for another prayer—this is the view of the great majority of earlier and later scholars; dissent on this is exceptional. It is known through mass transmission from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he did not require anyone who had prayed and then rose for another prayer to perform ablution again. For it is established through mass transmission that:

“He led the Muslims in the noon and afternoon prayers on the day of ‘Arafah, combining the two prayers.”

Many thousands prayed behind him, their number known only to Allah. After concluding the noon prayer with the salutation, he led them in the afternoon prayer. Neither he nor anyone else performed fresh ablution, nor did he command the people to do so, nor has anyone reported any such thing. This indicates that renewing ablution is not recommended in all circumstances.

Is renewing ablution recommended for each of the five daily prayers? This is disputed, and two positions are reported from Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him.

Likewise, when he arrived at Muzdalifah:

“He led them in the sunset and night prayers, combining them,”

without renewing his ablution for the night prayer. On both occasions, he and those praying behind him rose for one prayer after another, and he had a separate call to commence prayer given for each prayer. The same applies to all the other hadiths concerning the combining of prayers established in the two Sahīh collections, narrated by Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās, and Anas, may Allah be pleased with them. They all indicate that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the Muslims behind him—performed the second of the two combined prayers in the state of ritual purity they had for the first, without performing fresh ablution for it.