Is it recommended to perform ablution (wudu') when reading and touching books of Hadith? And did Imam Malik perform ablution when narrating from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?

It is recommended for the reciter of hadith (definition) to purify themselves when reading the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) out of reverence and respect for him. This was the practice of the righteous predecessors, such as Qatadah and Dirar ibn Murrah, and Imam Malik, who would not narrate hadith unless he was in a state of ablution and wearing his best clothes, out of awe and veneration. Al-Nawawi and Al-Sakhawi both explicitly stated the desirability of this, considering it a meritorious act rather than an obligation.