The ruling on a traveler who says the closing salam after two rak'ahs behind a resident imam

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, he says: I was traveling and prayed the midday prayer with the congregation,

The Shaykh:
I was.

The questioner:
I was traveling, and I prayed the midday prayer with the congregation. When they stood for the third rak'ah, I sat down and said the closing salam,

The Shaykh:
Many ignorant people do this now; they divide the prayer, keeping the first part for the midday prayer and the last part for the afternoon prayer, as if it were one prayer. This is not permissible for two reasons: first, it is not permissible to divide the prayer between two prayers, and second, it is not permissible for a traveler to shorten the prayer behind a resident imam.
Behind one who completes the prayer, the imam is established to be followed, so it is not permissible for a traveler to shorten the prayer behind a resident imam. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to complete the prayer behind one who completed it. Therefore, when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) completed the prayer in Mina during Hajj, they completed it behind him, even though they saw that shortening was permissible. They completed it behind him, which indicates the permissibility of completing the prayer.
He does not follow, he ruins his prayer because shortening is a recommended practice. Shortening is a recommended practice, not obligatory. The obligatory thing is to complete the prayer behind one who completes it, because he is your imam. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The imam is established to be followed." The Companions completed the prayer behind one who completed it, and they were travelers. When one of them was asked about that, he said: "That is the Sunnah, O my son. That is the Sunnah." And when a Companion says "that is the Sunnah," he means the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.