What is the ruling on the prayer of one who has only enough time left for the Takbirat al-Ihram, and is unable to perform ablution (wudu) or tayammum to catch it? Should he pray in his current state without ablution?

Prayer is not valid unless performed with ablution (wudu') when water is available and one is able to use it, or with dry ablution (tayammum) when water is unavailable or one is unable to use it. This is based on the Almighty's saying: "O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces..." (Verse from the Quran), and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Allah does not accept the prayer of any one of you if he passes wind until he performs ablution." The constraint of time does not negate the necessity of purification for prayer.

As for making up missed prayers (qada'), if the time constraint was due to an excuse such as sleep or forgetfulness, or due to intentional delay, the prayer remains an obligation and must be made up. However, if the time constraint was due to an impediment to the obligation of prayer, such as menstruation or insanity, and then the impediment ceased and only enough time for the opening takbeer remained, jurists have differed:

- The Hanafis, the Shafi'is (according to the most prevalent view), and the Hanbalis are of the opinion that the prayer becomes obligatory and should be performed within the time connected to it. - The Malikis and a view among the Shafi'is hold that the prayer does not become obligatory, and that for it to be caught up after the removal of impediments, there must remain enough time for at least one unit (rak'ah) of prayer.