A group went out hunting on Friday and traveled a distance sufficient for shortening the prayer, so they prayed the midday prayer with two rak'ahs. Is their prayer valid or not?

The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : I have taken this question as a trust. There were three people who went out on Friday for the purpose of hunting, and when the time for prayer arrived, meaning the midday prayer for them, they prayed it with two rak'ahs, because they were about two hundred and fifteen kilometers away from their town. Is this prayer of theirs valid or not? Because one of them misled them by saying that we pray four rak'ahs because today is Friday. What is the correct statement regarding this?

The Shaykh : Yes, the correct statement in this matter is that they are travelers, as long as they traveled this distance and will remain there for a day or two, they are travelers, and the traveler’s midday prayer is shortened, meaning he does not pray more than two rak'ahs. So if this group did not pray more than two rak'ahs, then their prayer is accepted and in accordance with the Sunnah. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : It was mentioned to us...

The Shaykh : Yes, and as for his statement that we pray four because today is Friday, this is correct if a person misses the Friday prayer while he is in the town, then he prays it with four rak'ahs because he is not a traveler.