The ruling on combining the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers without an excuse

The questioner:
Among the questions that have come in, Honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on a person who combines the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers without an excuse, Honorable Shaykh?

The Shaykh:
Combining without an excuse is not valid; his prayer is not valid. If he prays it before its time, it is not valid. And if he delays it, it is also not valid except in its time. Combining is not permissible except for an excuse, whether travel, illness, or rain or mud in combining the two night prayers. Yes.

The questioner:
He also says in this section, Honorable Shaykh, I read that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) combined without an excuse and without rain,

The Shaykh:
So this hadith is among the ambiguous ones to which one refers back to the detailed ones that clarify it. So it is a combining for an excuse without doubt, whether illness, rain, or travel, and it is understood in light of the hadiths that detail and clarify it. And so it is with every ambiguous hadith; one refers to the detailed hadiths in its interpretation that explain and clarify it. Yes.