When I am traveling, do I pray the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of the midday prayer, or do I pray the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of the afternoon prayer?

Question:
He says: When I am traveling the distance that permits shortening the prayer, do I pray the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of the midday prayer, or do I pray the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of the afternoon prayer? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions. To proceed: Allah the Exalted said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to shorten the prayer when he traveled, from the time he left Madinah until he returned, peace and blessings be upon him. Shortening the prayer while traveling is a dispensation and a recommended practice, and doing so is better than completing the prayer for the traveler.
As for the issue of combining the two prayers, it is permissible for the traveler out of consideration for him, so he should do what is easiest for him. If he is in a state of urgency, he should delay the midday prayer and pray it with the afternoon prayer in the time of the afternoon prayer, which is combining by delay. He should also delay the sunset and night prayers, delaying the sunset prayer to pray it with the night prayer in the time of the night prayer, also combining by delay. This is if the time of the first prayer enters while he is traveling on the road. However, if the time of the first prayer enters while he is still staying put, and then he wants to depart, he should pray the first prayer, the midday or sunset, and then combine the second one with it, which is the afternoon or night, praying them as a combination by advance. Then he departs and continues his journey in his travel, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. If the sun had passed its zenith before he departed, he would pray the midday prayer and advance the afternoon prayer, praying it with the midday as a combination by advance. And if he departed before the sun declined, he would delay the midday prayer and pray it with the afternoon as a combination by delay. As for if the traveler is staying in his journey, either in the desert or in a town, he should pray every prayer in its time, shortened, without combining, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do while in Mina during the days of Tashriq. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray the midday, afternoon, sunset, and night prayers, each in its time, with the four-rak'ah prayers shortened. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only combined the prayers at 'Arafah while staying there in order to maintain the continuity of the standing and to devote himself to supplication. However, if he is staying in a residence and intends to stay there for more than four days, he should complete the prayer, because at that point he exits the rulings of travel and enters the rulings of residents. If he intends to stay for a period exceeding