Is shortening the prayer permissible for one who leaves his home as a traveler but has not yet passed beyond the built-up area, and is it prescribed for them to combine prayers during their stay in the city they traveled to?

The questioner : The questioner says: “Your Eminence, a man intended to travel with his family, so they got in the car and set off. The call to prayer for the afternoon prayer was made while they had not yet left the inhabited area of the village. Do they shorten the prayer, or what should they do? And when they arrive at the city, do they combine prayers, such as the midday and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, during their stay?”

The Shaykh : As for the first part of the question, which is if the time enters while you are in the city and then you travel, you pray the prayer shortened, even if the call to prayer was made while you were in the city, meaning your city. This is because the criterion is the performance of the prayer, not the entry of its time. Conversely, if the time enters while you are traveling and then you arrive at your city, you pray four full units. So the criterion is the performance of the prayer. As for combining, we repeat this for the third time in response to questions: It is better for the traveler not to combine unless the journey becomes difficult for him or he has a need for it.