Is it permissible to combine the two prayers without an excuse?

The questioner : The questioner asks: Is it permissible to combine without a cause, illness, or excuse?

The Shaykh : It is not permissible to combine the two prayers that are combined except for a valid legal excuse, such as an obligation, travel, or work that requires combining. Beyond that, it is not permissible for him to combine. The criterion, my brothers, is that whenever there is hardship in not combining, it is permissible for him to combine. This is because Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) came to preach to the people on one day, and a man came to him and said, "You are closer to the truth than he is." He said to the one who said it, "I know more about prayer than he does. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine without travel or illness." He was asked, "Why?" He said, "He wanted not to burden his Ummah." This indicates that whenever there is difficulty, it is permissible to combine for its sake. In fact, it is permissible to combine in order to attain the congregation. For example, if it happens that if we disperse, we will not pray in congregation, and if we gather, we will pray in congregation, then it is permissible to combine in order to attain the congregation. For this reason, it is permissible to combine in order to attain the congregation if there is rain or mud. It is permissible for people to combine while in the city. Why do they combine? In order to gather for prayer. Otherwise, it would have been possible for every person to pray alone in his house without combining. This indicates that combining is permissible in order to shorten the congregation, and it is permissible if there is hardship in not doing so, and one cannot get rid of this hardship except by combining.