We request clarification of what is reported in the Sunnah that they used to shorten the prayer when their journey was swift.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He says: May the Shaykh be respected, we request clarification of what is reported in the Sunnah that they used to shorten the prayer when their journey was swift.
The Shaykh : The correct view is that they combine.
The questioner : He says: They used to shorten the prayer when their journey was swift, and whether the journey is considered interrupted if one stops to rest, or if one is swift on the road? And what is the ruling if the distance between him and his home is approximately the distance he would cover before the time for the second prayer arrives? Does he shorten and combine, or not?
The Shaykh : The correct statement is that they combine. This is because shortening the prayer is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the traveler, whether his journey is swift or not. As for combining prayers, it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the traveler if his journey is swift, meaning if he is traveling, i.e., walking. However, if he is staying in a place or in a town, he does not combine. If he does combine, there is no harm. So now, shortening is a recommended practice in all cases, and combining is a recommended practice if his journey is swift. Otherwise, it is better not to combine, though if he does combine, there is no harm. As for if he is returning to his home and knows that he will arrive before the time for the second prayer enters, is he allowed to combine? We say: Yes, he is allowed to combine, but it is better in this case not to combine because he has no need to combine. Yes.
The questioner : He says: May the Shaykh be respected, I married my cousin’s daughter ten years ago and, praise be to Allah, was blessed with five sons. My mother informed me that I was breastfed by my grandfather’s second wife, who is not my father’s mother. I asked my mother about those breastfeedings, and she told me that she always breastfed me from her, i.e., from my grandfather’s wife. I understood from her words that my mother would go and leave me with her constantly and breastfeed me along with her daughter constantly. May the Shaykh be respected! What should I do now, knowing that this was not known?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that they combine.
The questioner : He says: They used to shorten the prayer when their journey was swift, and whether the journey is considered interrupted if one stops to rest, or if one is swift on the road? And what is the ruling if the distance between him and his home is approximately the distance he would cover before the time for the second prayer arrives? Does he shorten and combine, or not?
The Shaykh : The correct statement is that they combine. This is because shortening the prayer is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the traveler, whether his journey is swift or not. As for combining prayers, it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the traveler if his journey is swift, meaning if he is traveling, i.e., walking. However, if he is staying in a place or in a town, he does not combine. If he does combine, there is no harm. So now, shortening is a recommended practice in all cases, and combining is a recommended practice if his journey is swift. Otherwise, it is better not to combine, though if he does combine, there is no harm. As for if he is returning to his home and knows that he will arrive before the time for the second prayer enters, is he allowed to combine? We say: Yes, he is allowed to combine, but it is better in this case not to combine because he has no need to combine. Yes.
The questioner : He says: May the Shaykh be respected, I married my cousin’s daughter ten years ago and, praise be to Allah, was blessed with five sons. My mother informed me that I was breastfed by my grandfather’s second wife, who is not my father’s mother. I asked my mother about those breastfeedings, and she told me that she always breastfed me from her, i.e., from my grandfather’s wife. I understood from her words that my mother would go and leave me with her constantly and breastfeed me along with her daughter constantly. May the Shaykh be respected! What should I do now, knowing that this was not known?