What is the ruling on one who used to shorten the prayer thinking that it was permissible for him, then it became clear to him that his action was contrary to the ruling? Does he have to repeat those prayers that he shortened?

The questioner : Yesterday we inquired about the prayer during travel on two points...

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner : Regarding the past days, should I make up for them? I used to pray the combined and shortened prayer in Oman. Do I have to compensate for them or not?

The Shaykh : By Allah, this issue now takes on another dimension. When you were shortening the prayer in your home, were you shortening it based on a fatwa from a mufti, or—without offense—did you just do it without asking anyone?

The questioner : I did ask, but not a mufti. However, it was discussed among us in Riyadh, and it became customary that when one travels outside the city where he lives, he can shorten the prayer. Then I met my brother Ahmad, and he told me that there was a discussion with the father... that if a person owns a house, he must pray the full prayer. There was a discussion about that. In the past, there was no fatwa from a specific person... directly, but it was passed from person to person to me that during travel from one area to another, one can pray and shorten it.

The Shaykh : Yes, you did, but from person to person, meaning from a scholar?

The questioner : The person who gave it to me was, of course, the imam of our group, but not a shaykh or a scholar, because he is our imam in the group.

The Shaykh : The important thing is that I cannot issue a ruling, but my answer is as follows: If you proceeded in your previous work based on a fatwa from a knowledgeable man, whether you heard it from him directly or indirectly, then may Allah forgive what has passed. But if you did not ask, then here is the problem, and you know your own situation best.

Another questioner : Meaning, I repeat what I missed, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh: Yes.