Is it permissible to combine prayers in the case of mild cold, or must the cold be severe and apparent hardship?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, you know that in winter the cold is continuous, almost constantly.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : So, do we combine frequently and be lenient with the slightest cold, or do we be strict and require that the cold be a severe, apparent hardship on which no one disagrees?
The questioner : If you are old men like in my case, combine; if you are young men like in your case, do not combine.
The questioner : And what if it is mixed?
The Shaykh : Mixed?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : According to what the imam orders you.
The questioner : Shaykh, I am the imam.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Whether it is you or someone else, what difference does it make to me?
The questioner : I mean, do I combine or not?
The Shaykh : According to what you see. If there is a valid reason in your own ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) to combine, then combine; otherwise, do not. And they follow you, the older and the younger among them.
The questioner : Yes, meaning do we be expansive, Shaykh, or do we be strict to some extent?
The Shaykh : Do not be expansive and do not be strict.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Look, is the legal excuse present or not?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : So, do we combine frequently and be lenient with the slightest cold, or do we be strict and require that the cold be a severe, apparent hardship on which no one disagrees?
The questioner : If you are old men like in my case, combine; if you are young men like in your case, do not combine.
The questioner : And what if it is mixed?
The Shaykh : Mixed?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : According to what the imam orders you.
The questioner : Shaykh, I am the imam.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Whether it is you or someone else, what difference does it make to me?
The questioner : I mean, do I combine or not?
The Shaykh : According to what you see. If there is a valid reason in your own ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) to combine, then combine; otherwise, do not. And they follow you, the older and the younger among them.
The questioner : Yes, meaning do we be expansive, Shaykh, or do we be strict to some extent?
The Shaykh : Do not be expansive and do not be strict.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Look, is the legal excuse present or not?
The questioner: Yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.