Does the traveler shorten the Friday prayer or pray it as four rak'ahs? And is it true that you said it is not permissible to shorten the Friday prayer, nor to combine it with the 'Asr prayer?
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The questioner : If a traveler is on the road, does he shorten the Friday prayer or pray it as four rak'ahs? Because we heard from you, O honorable Shaykh, that it is not permissible for a person to shorten the Friday prayer, nor to combine it with the 'Asr prayer. What is the accuracy of this report?
The Shaykh : First: this report is, in itself, a lie. We did not speak these words.
As for the fact that the Friday prayer is not shortened, that is correct. If the Friday prayer were shortened, how many rak'ahs would it be? One rak'ah. No one, neither scholars nor ignorant people, says that. The Friday prayer is not shortened; it is two rak'ahs. However, the 'Asr prayer is not combined with it. For example, if a traveler is in a town on Friday and stays there, saying, "I will walk at the end of the day and catch the Friday prayer," he does not combine the 'Asr prayer with it. This is because the Friday prayer is an independent prayer with specific conditions, a specific form, and a specific manner. The Sunnah only came regarding combining the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers. The Friday prayer is not Dhuhr. Therefore, it is not correct to combine the 'Asr prayer with it. If someone combines the 'Asr prayer with it, we say the matter is easy: he repeats the 'Asr prayer as two rak'ahs after its time has entered. Yes.
The Shaykh : First: this report is, in itself, a lie. We did not speak these words.
As for the fact that the Friday prayer is not shortened, that is correct. If the Friday prayer were shortened, how many rak'ahs would it be? One rak'ah. No one, neither scholars nor ignorant people, says that. The Friday prayer is not shortened; it is two rak'ahs. However, the 'Asr prayer is not combined with it. For example, if a traveler is in a town on Friday and stays there, saying, "I will walk at the end of the day and catch the Friday prayer," he does not combine the 'Asr prayer with it. This is because the Friday prayer is an independent prayer with specific conditions, a specific form, and a specific manner. The Sunnah only came regarding combining the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers. The Friday prayer is not Dhuhr. Therefore, it is not correct to combine the 'Asr prayer with it. If someone combines the 'Asr prayer with it, we say the matter is easy: he repeats the 'Asr prayer as two rak'ahs after its time has entered. Yes.