The ruling on completing the prayer in places where it is shortened during travel
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We came from al-Ta'if and we had performed the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers as four rak'ahs before entering the area by twenty kilometers, and a man who was with us issued a fatwa to us to that effect. What is the ruling on our prayer?
Our misfortune in this time is that a person issues a fatwa on what he does not know, thereby obliging Allah's servants with what Allah has not obligated them to. A traveler's journey does not end until he actually reaches the town by entering it. For this reason, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) shortened the prayer on his return from a journey while he could see al-Kufah, and al-Kufah was his place of residence (may Allah be pleased with him), as we know that he was killed in al-Kufah. So he shortened the prayer while he could see al-Kufah.It was said to him: O Commander of the Faithful! This is al-Kufah.He said: We have not entered it yet, or a word to that effect. So if a person is twenty meters away from his town but has not entered the town, he may avail himself of the dispensations of travel.
And as for the one who issued the fatwa to you, my advice to you on your way is to advise him and say: My brother! Do not rush into issuing fatwas. Fatwa is serious; because a fatwa is informing people about Allah that this is Allah's ruling. For this reason, we consider fatwa to be among the most dangerous things.And the scrupulous person says: If I did not see that fatwa is obligatory upon me, I would not issue fatwas; because the matter is serious and not trivial. Fatwa is not a commodity that a person trades in before people so that they see him and revere him. Fatwa is news about Allah that this is His Shari'ah, and this is a great responsibility. For this reason, the righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them, and may He include us with them) would decline to issue fatwas. They would say, "Go to so-and-so, go to so-and-so," until you reach the first one. All of this is out of scrupulousness. So advise him, may Allah reward you with good for me, not to rush.
As for your prayer, performing it as four rak'ahs, I hope there is no harm in that; because completing the prayer in places where it is shortened does not invalidate the prayer.
Our misfortune in this time is that a person issues a fatwa on what he does not know, thereby obliging Allah's servants with what Allah has not obligated them to. A traveler's journey does not end until he actually reaches the town by entering it. For this reason, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) shortened the prayer on his return from a journey while he could see al-Kufah, and al-Kufah was his place of residence (may Allah be pleased with him), as we know that he was killed in al-Kufah. So he shortened the prayer while he could see al-Kufah.It was said to him: O Commander of the Faithful! This is al-Kufah.He said: We have not entered it yet, or a word to that effect. So if a person is twenty meters away from his town but has not entered the town, he may avail himself of the dispensations of travel.
And as for the one who issued the fatwa to you, my advice to you on your way is to advise him and say: My brother! Do not rush into issuing fatwas. Fatwa is serious; because a fatwa is informing people about Allah that this is Allah's ruling. For this reason, we consider fatwa to be among the most dangerous things.And the scrupulous person says: If I did not see that fatwa is obligatory upon me, I would not issue fatwas; because the matter is serious and not trivial. Fatwa is not a commodity that a person trades in before people so that they see him and revere him. Fatwa is news about Allah that this is His Shari'ah, and this is a great responsibility. For this reason, the righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them, and may He include us with them) would decline to issue fatwas. They would say, "Go to so-and-so, go to so-and-so," until you reach the first one. All of this is out of scrupulousness. So advise him, may Allah reward you with good for me, not to rush.
As for your prayer, performing it as four rak'ahs, I hope there is no harm in that; because completing the prayer in places where it is shortened does not invalidate the prayer.