The ruling on praying the sunnah of wudu' during the prohibited times

The questioner:
Yes. Umm Muram asks: Is it permissible for a man or a woman to pray the sunnah of wudu' during a prohibited time, such as the 'Asr time?

The Shaykh:
This is a matter of scholarly disagreement. Those who consider it one of the prayers with a cause say that it is performed when its cause is present at any time, and this serves as a specification of the prohibition of prayer in these times. Those who look at the generality of the times prohibit performing prayers with a cause in them. So there is disagreement among the scholars: some hold that the general command to pray the prayers with a cause when their causes are present at any time is the stronger position, while others generalize the prohibition of prayer in these five times, whether the prayer has a cause or not.
So whoever does this or that, no one should disapprove of him. But the stronger position, and Allah knows best, is that the prayers with a cause are performed when their causes are present, at whatever time it is.