What is the duration for which a traveler may shorten the prayer?

The questioner:
Another message came to the program *Nur 'ala al-Darb* from the sender Rabi' Mu'awwad. He says: "Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings. He says: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says in His Noble Book: And here I am, presenting my question to the people of knowledge and learning here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He says in his question: I was traveling to Saudi Arabia, and I know that a traveler shortens the prayer. I prayed the Fajr prayer with two rak'ahs, and I prayed the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers with only two rak'ahs each, and I prayed the Maghrib prayer with three, and I prayed the 'Isha' prayer with two. I continued this way for three days, three nights, including their days. Did I make a mistake, or was what I did correct? Please? May Allah reward you with good. Answer us regarding this."

The Shaykh:
The traveler: Yes, Allah has permitted him to shorten the prayer. Allah the Exalted said: meaning you traveled . Accordingly, the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shorten the prayer when he traveled, from the time he left Madinah until he returned to it. Shortening the prayer while traveling is better than completing it. Yes. And what the questioner mentioned, that he came to Saudi Arabia as a traveler to fulfill a need, not to stay in Saudi Arabia or for continuous long-term work in Saudi Arabia, but for a purpose that will end and then he will return, this requires a distinction. Yes, if he intends to stay for four days or less, he may shorten the prayer. If he intends to stay for more than four days, he must complete the prayer because he takes on the rulings of residents. And if he does not intend a specific duration of stay, or if he stays to fulfill a need and does not know when it will end, he also shortens the prayer.

The presenter:
Even if the duration becomes long.

The Shaykh:
Even if the duration becomes long. The issue here has three cases. Yes. The first case: if he intends to stay for four days or less, he may shorten the prayer. Yes. The second case: if he intends to stay for more than four days, it is obligatory for him to complete the prayer. Yes. The third case: if he did not intend to stay at all, or he intended to stay to fulfill a need and does not know when it will end, he shortens the prayer, because he is still a traveler. Yes.

The presenter:
So this is the answer for those who constantly ask how one shortens the prayer within cities, from those who came to a city for a certain purpose. Yes. So if a person arrives for a purpose, he must condition the shortening on intention. And if it exceeds four nights, he completes his prayer. As for if he does not know whether he will continue traveling or stay, this is also where we need guidance from your eminence in such a case?

The Shaykh:
Yes, we said that he shortens the prayer in both cases.

The presenter:
No, I stayed for a long time.

The Shaykh:
He did not combine a stay here.

The presenter:
Yes, the story of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) or Ibn 'Abbas in Azerbaijan, I think it was Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Yes.

The Shaykh:
The snow detained him for six months, because one does not know when the snow will end, and when the warmth will come and the excuse will be removed, because this is a matter that only Allah knows. So he continued to shorten the prayer, because this was an excuse that detained him and he did not know when it would end.

The presenter:
What is the ruling for those who, in the past days, took the position of completing and shortening? How? A person stayed in a city, he came to work, for example, in trade, and he shortened his prayer for some days, then completed it for some days, then returned to shortening based on what he hears from people.

The Shaykh:
We said at the beginning that shortening is recommended and completing is permissible.

The presenter:
So if he did both, there is no harm.

The Shaykh:
If the traveler completes the prayer, it is permissible, and if he shortens it, it is better. As for the one who intends to stay for more than four days, he is not a traveler; he completes the prayer.

The presenter:
Yes, what is observed now, Honorable Shaykh, of travelers on the roads: some of them shorten and some of them complete. And if they enter a mosque where the imam was completing, they either complete with him or shorten. So in such cases, how does the traveler act?

The Shaykh:
The answer, as mentioned before, is that if the traveler prays on the road, it is better that he shortens the prayer, and if he completes it, it is permissible. But if he prays and sees an imam completing the prayer, it is obligatory for him to complete the prayer following his imam.