What is the ruling on combining prayers for the traveler?
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The questioner : Is combining prayers for the traveler obligatory or not?
The Shaykh : Combining is a dispensation, while shortening is obligatory.
The questioner : Shortening is obligatory, and combining means it is preferable to take this dispensation?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that sometimes it is recommended to take this dispensation. So if one alternates, sometimes doing one and sometimes the other, that is permissible. But it is not recommended to forgo the dispensation, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Ibn Hibban 6:48, and in another narration: Bulugh al-Maram 2:341. So the principle is that a person should take the dispensation, but sometimes if he leaves the dispensation, there is no harm.
The questioner : The evidence for combining for the traveler as a dispensation, meaning?
The Shaykh : The Messenger combined, but he did not command it. As for shortening, there is a command for it.
The Shaykh : Combining is a dispensation, while shortening is obligatory.
The questioner : Shortening is obligatory, and combining means it is preferable to take this dispensation?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that sometimes it is recommended to take this dispensation. So if one alternates, sometimes doing one and sometimes the other, that is permissible. But it is not recommended to forgo the dispensation, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Indeed, Allah loves that His dispensations be taken, just as He loves that His strict rulings be taken.
إن الله يحبُّ أن تُؤتى رخصه كما يحبُّ أن تُؤتى عزائمُهjust as he dislikes that disobedience to Him be committed
كما يكره أن تُؤتى معصيتهThe questioner : The evidence for combining for the traveler as a dispensation, meaning?
The Shaykh : The Messenger combined, but he did not command it. As for shortening, there is a command for it.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.