Rulings on Combining Prayers in the Rain

We are living these days amidst rain and blessings,Question: When does one combine? And what are the times in which prayers are combined?
This is an important question; had we not wished to complete Surat al-Fatihah, the opening of the session would have been a discussion of this topic.

First: We must know that the times of the prayers are determined by Allah and His Messenger,As for what is from Allah, He said, the Exalted: “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers at specified times” [Al-Nisa: 103], defined and specific,And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra: 78], and as for the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, he explained that clearly and explicitly: the time for the midday prayer is from such-and-such to such-and-such, the time for the afternoon prayer is from such-and-such to such-and-such, the time for the sunset prayer is from such-and-such to such-and-such, the time for the night prayer is from such-and-such to such-and-such, and the time for the dawn prayer is from such-and-such to such-and-such, detailed and explained to the utmost degree of clarity. The original ruling is that prayer is obligatory in its time. So, if one prays before the time, even with the opening takbir, his prayer is voluntary if he is ignorant and thinks the time has entered. If he does it intentionally, he is playing with the religion, and his prayer is invalid and returned to him. What if he prays the entire prayer before the time?!! So, if one prays before the time, if he knows that the time has not entered, he is playing with the religion and his prayer is invalid and returned to him. If he is ignorant and thinks the time has entered, his prayer is voluntary, and he must repeat it after the time enters. And if one prays after the time, it is the same: if he does it intentionally, his prayer is invalid and not accepted from him, even if he prays a thousand times. If it is for an excuse, such as forgetfulness, sleep, or ignorance of the time—thinking that the time has not yet ended—his prayer is valid. This is the original ruling.
It is not permissible for a person to combine by advancing or delaying except for a legitimate religious excuse. The legitimate religious excuse is defined by the criterion indicated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: (The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined the midday and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, in Madinah, without fear or rain,They said: What did he intend by that?He said: He intended not to burden his Ummah), meaning: not to cause them hardship,And thus, the criterion for combining is: that there be hardship on the people in leaving it, and that there be hardship and difficulty in separating each prayer in its own time. So this is the criterion: if there is hardship and difficulty, then one combines. If there is no hardship or difficulty, then combining is not permissible. And whoever combines by advancing must repeat the prayer he prayed before its time.
In some countries, the rain may be falling heavily, and in that case, it is difficult for people to go to the mosque, as their clothes get wet and they are harmed. This is a difficulty, or the rain may have stopped, but the markets and the streets are, that is, slippery, or there is a lot of standing water that harms people. This is also a difficulty, so the prayers are combined. Otherwise, it is not permissible.For this reason, we regret that some people who say: We hold fast to the Sunnah. They err in this issue and think that combining is permissible for the slightest reason. This is a mistake.Then we must say: If we know that there is no hardship in not combining, then combining becomes forbidden. If we know that there is hardship in not combining, then combining becomes permissible, indeed recommended. If we are in doubt, then combining is forbidden; because the original ruling is the obligation of performing the prayer in its time. So we do not excuse ourselves from this original ruling except with a certain matter.
As for the prayer that is combined, the well-known view in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is that there is no combining between the midday and afternoon prayers for rain or its like, but rather one combines between the sunset and night prayers.But the correct view: That one combines between the sunset and night prayers, and between the midday and afternoon prayers; because the operative cause is difficulty. Whenever it exists in the midday and afternoon or the sunset and night, combining is permissible.

Then I say to you, my brothers: Do not think that combining is a dispensation according to all scholars.Even those who say: It is permissible,They say: leaving it is better. But we see that if the cause is found, doing it is better. And there is a madhhab representing three-quarters of the Muslim Ummah, when the caliphate was with the Turks and they were on the madhhab of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), who holds that there is no combining at all except in two places: at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah; for the sake of the rites. Otherwise, there is no combining in travel, or illness, or rain, or anything else. So do not think that the issue is easy. The issue is difficult.

So the summary of the answer is: If the excuse is verified, then combining is better. If we know that there is no excuse, then combining is forbidden. If we are in doubt, then combining is forbidden; because the original ruling is the obligation of performing the prayer in its times.
And as for the intention to combine, it is not a condition. So whenever the cause is found, even after the first prayer, he combines.