Shortening the Prayer in Travel
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The questioner : Your Eminence, there are travelers who, during their journey, do not find a resident imam. Sometimes they intend to shorten the prayer, but the imam completes it; and sometimes they intend to complete it, but the imam shortens it. This happens when we do not catch the opening takbir. What is the ruling?
The Shaykh : The ruling in this matter is that we look at the apparent situation.For example: If the mosque is on the road, it is most likely that those praying in it are travelers, so one should intend to shorten the prayer. But if the mosque is in the town, it is most likely that those praying are residents, so one should intend to complete the prayer.
The questioner: Your Eminence, what if I intended to shorten the prayer, but the imam completed it?The Shaykh: Complete it with him.
The questioner: What if the prayer is in congregation and you do not know whether he will complete or shorten?Answer: Look at the apparent situation. What is the apparent status of this person? If the mosque is on the roads or at a station, such as a gas station, the apparent status is that those praying are travelers, so you intend to shorten the prayer. If he completes it, then you complete it. So if you join them in the second rak'ah and you assume he is a traveler who will shorten, but then he completes, you complete the prayer. If he says the taslim, you perform one rak'ah.
The Shaykh : The ruling in this matter is that we look at the apparent situation.For example: If the mosque is on the road, it is most likely that those praying in it are travelers, so one should intend to shorten the prayer. But if the mosque is in the town, it is most likely that those praying are residents, so one should intend to complete the prayer.
The questioner: Your Eminence, what if I intended to shorten the prayer, but the imam completed it?The Shaykh: Complete it with him.
The questioner: What if the prayer is in congregation and you do not know whether he will complete or shorten?Answer: Look at the apparent situation. What is the apparent status of this person? If the mosque is on the roads or at a station, such as a gas station, the apparent status is that those praying are travelers, so you intend to shorten the prayer. If he completes it, then you complete it. So if you join them in the second rak'ah and you assume he is a traveler who will shorten, but then he completes, you complete the prayer. If he says the taslim, you perform one rak'ah.