Does the one who visits his family in his former country shorten the prayer?

The questioner : The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, a man resides in the city of Abha, and he has a house there, and his father and mother also live there. He was assigned to the city of al-Bahah, so he resided there. If he goes to Abha for a visit during the spring break, does he shorten the prayer or complete it?

The Shaykh : He is a resident, even though his place of work is in al-Bahah. He did not specify in the question whether the distance between them is long or short. Do you know? What is the distance between Abha and al-Bahah? If this man who moved to al-Bahah and resided there returns to Abha to visit his family, he is a traveler. However, if a traveler is in a town where the congregation is held, it is obligatory for him to pray with the congregation, and in that case, he must complete the prayer. But he benefits from being a traveler in that he may wipe over his leather socks for three days and nights. He also benefits in that if he misses the congregational prayer in Abha, he prays two rak'ahs. As for if he intentionally leaves the congregation to pray two rak'ahs, he thereby commits a sin, because the traveler is like the resident; it is obligatory for each of them to attend the congregation in the mosque and not to be absent from it.