We are students studying in one of the Western countries, but we face a problem, which is: the difference of scholarly rulings regarding prayer: should it be combined and shortened, or only shortened?
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The questioner : He says: O honorable Shaykh, we are students studying in one of the Western countries, but we face a problem, which is: the difference of scholarly rulings regarding prayer: should it be combined and shortened, or only shortened? So what do you say in detail? May Allah guide you?
The Shaykh : There remains a third category: or neither shortening nor combining. This issue, my brothers, is based on the disagreement of the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). If a traveler intends to stay in a place for a specific, known duration, is he permitted to shorten the prayer or not? Most scholars say: he does not shorten the prayer if his stay exceeds fifteen days. Some say: four days. Some say: four days, not counting the day of arrival and departure. Some say: nineteen days. Al-Hafiz al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book *Sharh al-Muhadhab* twenty opinions or more than twenty opinions on this issue. The stronger opinion is: as long as a person is a traveler, he is a traveler, even if he specifies the duration, even if it exceeds four days, or ten, or twenty, or thirty; he is a traveler. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) traveled and stayed for various different durations while shortening the prayer. He stayed for nineteen days in the Battle of the Conquest in Makkah, and stayed for twenty days in Tabuk, and stayed for ten days in the Farewell Pilgrimage, and in all of these he shortened. Not a single word has been reported from him saying: whoever intends to stay more than four days, or more than fifteen days, must complete the prayer. Never. Rather, he shortened as long as he was on a journey. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) stated this ruling generally, saying:[An-Nisa 4:101] and did not specify a limit. Therefore, I see no problem in these sent students shortening the prayer. And what remains? What remains of the dispensations? Combining. Do they combine or not? I say: it is better that they do not combine, unless there is hardship in not combining, such as the distance between places, or the presence of study classes that prevent them from praying the second prayer in its time. Then they may combine. This is the stronger opinion in my view, and it is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and his student Ibn al-Qayyim, and our Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) and other Shaykhs, that this is not specified. Yes.
The questioner : He says: O honorable Shaykh.
The questioner : Usually, there is disagreement. The disagreement of the students should not be in this. They follow the imam. If the imam who prays with them does not consider shortening permissible and prays four rak'ahs, let them pray four rak'ahs, and they are in a good state. And if he considers shortening permissible and prays two rak'ahs, let them pray two rak'ahs. And whoever does not consider shortening permissible and prays behind the imam who shortens, then when the imam says the closing salam, the follower stands up and completes the prayer.
Yes.
The Shaykh : There remains a third category: or neither shortening nor combining. This issue, my brothers, is based on the disagreement of the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). If a traveler intends to stay in a place for a specific, known duration, is he permitted to shorten the prayer or not? Most scholars say: he does not shorten the prayer if his stay exceeds fifteen days. Some say: four days. Some say: four days, not counting the day of arrival and departure. Some say: nineteen days. Al-Hafiz al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book *Sharh al-Muhadhab* twenty opinions or more than twenty opinions on this issue. The stronger opinion is: as long as a person is a traveler, he is a traveler, even if he specifies the duration, even if it exceeds four days, or ten, or twenty, or thirty; he is a traveler. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) traveled and stayed for various different durations while shortening the prayer. He stayed for nineteen days in the Battle of the Conquest in Makkah, and stayed for twenty days in Tabuk, and stayed for ten days in the Farewell Pilgrimage, and in all of these he shortened. Not a single word has been reported from him saying: whoever intends to stay more than four days, or more than fifteen days, must complete the prayer. Never. Rather, he shortened as long as he was on a journey. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) stated this ruling generally, saying:
And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلاةِThe questioner : He says: O honorable Shaykh.
The questioner : Usually, there is disagreement. The disagreement of the students should not be in this. They follow the imam. If the imam who prays with them does not consider shortening permissible and prays four rak'ahs, let them pray four rak'ahs, and they are in a good state. And if he considers shortening permissible and prays two rak'ahs, let them pray two rak'ahs. And whoever does not consider shortening permissible and prays behind the imam who shortens, then when the imam says the closing salam, the follower stands up and completes the prayer.
Yes.