Is it permissible to combine prayers for one who prays alone, or for one who is staying in the mosque, or for one whose path to it is in the shade?

The questioner : As for dew and rain that does not wet the clothes, it does not permit combining prayers because there is no hardship in it. Is it permissible to combine for one who prays alone, or for one who is staying in the mosque, or for one whose path to it is in its shade?

The Shaykh : Is it permissible for one who prays alone, or for one who is staying in the mosque, or for one whose path to it is in the shade?

The questioner : Or for one whose path to it is in the shade, there are two views: one is that it is not permissible because there is no hardship, and the other is that it is permissible because the general excuse does not require actual hardship, just as with travel.

The Shaykh : Yes, the correct view is that one who prays alone, such as one who is excused from attending the congregation and prays in his house, and women, is not permitted to combine prayers. The evidence is that the default is that it is obligatory to perform the prayer in its time. If no cause exists that permits taking it out of its time, then it is not permissible to deviate from the default. So, one who prays in his house for an excuse, or one who is not among those who attend the congregation, does not combine. The permissibility of combining with the dispensation to pray in one's house is evidence of the importance of the congregation, and that combining is permissible to attain the congregation. I said that so that the following follows: If we are a congregation and we will disperse before the time of the second prayer enters, are we permitted to pray as a congregation and combine? It appears so, there is no difference, because we know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) only combined for the sake of the congregation. As for mere rain and mud, he used to say, "Pray in your homes." If the people did not gather and were in their homes, we told them to pray in their homes. But if they gathered, we say, what?
Combine. And this occurs, and what you mentioned occurs often. A congregation is now gathered and will reach the end of their journey or the end of their gathering and disperse. They ask: Do we pray the congregation and combine, or do we pray the congregation in the current prayer and pray the remaining prayer individually? We tell you to combine to attain the congregation.