Students Shortening the Prayer in University Housing

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Some students of knowledge who come to study in Riyadh, to study at the university, and who live in the university housing, shorten the prayer and do not consider the congregational prayer obligatory. They pray it shortened in their housing and in their rooms, considering themselves travelers. Is there any guidance on this?

Answer:
This is not permissible, and their prayer is invalid because they are residents, not travelers. If the stay exceeds four days, it takes on the rulings of residence, according to the majority of the scholars. The fact that some scholars issued a ruling that a traveler shortens the prayer even if he prolongs his stay during the journey is a ruling that requires scrutiny, and many scholars have criticized it. Also, the student is a settler because he rents a house or occupies a house, staying for years in his studies. How can it be said that he is a traveler? A traveler is one who is considered a resident. So, my brothers, those who follow dispensations lose matters of their religion, and religion is not to be treated with laxity. Do you have evidence for this, that the one who resides for months or years is a traveler? What about those who travel for treatment and stay, where the treatment may require one or two years? Do they become travelers?
This opens a wide door for people, so this opinion should not be adopted. This is a religion by which Allah will hold people accountable, and it is not to be neglected on the basis that so-and-so said such-and-such, or so-and-so issued a ruling on such-and-such. Yes.
Then the university must prevent them from this. If they do not comply, a letter should be written to the Department of Islamic Research and Ifta regarding them, and this matter should be looked into. They should not be left to continue this action. Yes.