If we are a group and we go out to a specific place, some of us consider it a journey and some do not, how do we pray when some of us shorten the prayer and some complete it?
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The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Do you mean that I am a resident?
Another questioner: No, you are with a group. I am explaining to him, meaning we went out as a group...
The Shaykh : ... .
Another questioner: The Shaykh answered this implicitly, but let me repeat it once more for the sake of...
The Shaykh : clarification.
Another questioner: But here there is a clarification in the recording that explains this.
The Shaykh : Yes
Another questioner: If we now go out as a group to a place, and we all have the same starting point, our intention should be one.
The Shaykh : Of course.
Another questioner: Because it is one journey, but some of us see that the law obligates them to shorten the prayer because they are travelers, and some of us see that this is not a journey but rather a leisure trip and a break.
The Shaykh : Okay.
Another questioner: Then we come to pray, how should we pray? For example, if one of us who considers shortening the prayer leads, what is the status of the one who disagrees with his opinion, or the reverse?
The Shaykh : If the imam who is praying prays four rak'ahs because he considers himself a resident, and those behind him consider the opposite of his opinion, that they are travelers, then they pray the imam's prayer, which is four rak'ahs. And if it is the reverse, meaning the imam is a traveler and prays two rak'ahs, and those behind him consider themselves to be in the status of residents, then when he says the taslim, he says it at the end of two rak'ahs. And if he knows their opinion, he tells them, "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people," and they pray four rak'ahs.
Another questioner: Okay, what if he follows? In the sense of following the imam and differing from his school of thought?
The Shaykh : Who is following?
Another questioner: For example, I consider completing the prayer, let us suppose, and then I see...
The Shaykh : Are you the imam?
Another questioner: No, I am a ma'mum.
The Shaykh : A follower?
Another questioner: Yes
The Shaykh : Very well.
Another questioner: And we were led by one who considers shortening the prayer. Does this mean it is permissible for me to follow him and give up my school of thought and my independent legal reasoning?
The Shaykh : No, no, because here there is no independent legal reasoning in the place of an explicit text... Regarding the previous question, if the imam is a traveler and those behind him are residents, or some of them are residents, then when the imam says the taslim at the end of two rak'ahs, considering that he is a traveler as we mentioned, what do the residents behind him do? Do they say the taslim with him, by analogy to the reverse case, which is if the imam is a resident and those behind him are travelers? Do they say the taslim at the end of two rak'ahs or do they follow the imam? In this issue, they follow the imam. But in the issue we are currently addressing, to which the last question was directed, the correct ruling is exactly the opposite. That is, those praying behind the resident imam, when the imam says the taslim, they stand up and complete their prayer, considering that they are residents. And because the established Sunnah is explicit in what we are saying. You know, for example, that among the etiquettes and recommended practices of the traveling imam when he leads residents, it is obligatory for him to shorten the prayer, and he does not pray their prayer. But to alert those who might be behind him among the residents who are unaware, to alert those who might be behind him who are unaware, when he says the taslim to his right and quietly, because exiting the prayer with the taslim is an obligatory part of the prayer, he says the taslim quietly, then he raises his voice to say to the residents behind him: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". This was the practice during the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). And this is an example of hundreds, indeed hundreds of examples, of our recent discussion that we are with the Book and the Sunnah and what the righteous Salaf were upon. If we asked any person who does not take this condition we are going on about—the righteous Salaf—what does this traveling imam do? Does he say, "Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy," from two rak'ahs and the matter is over? We say no, but rather we say, as is authentic from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, that when he performed Hajj during his caliphate and led the people there in the Sacred House, he prayed two rak'ahs and said: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". And I say 'Umar, and I do not say "Prophet 'Umar," in response to the principle I set for myself, following the imams of the Muslims who do not permit using as evidence what is not authentic from the hadith. So it is authentic from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab what I mentioned. And it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from the hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), during the expedition to Tabuk, when he prayed there with the people, and among them were, of course, many residents around Tabuk, also said: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". But this hadith has the same defect mentioned previously in the hadith that the Messenger stayed in Tabuk for twenty days, in which 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jad'an is included, and it is weak in its chain. Therefore, I dispensed with using as evidence the hadith traced to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) due to the weakness of its chain, and I resorted to using as evidence the report of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab due to the authenticity of its chain. And there is no doubt that such an action would come from 'Umar in the largest gathering one can imagine, which is the Sacred Mosque, and in the season of the greatest Hajj. There is no doubt that such a thing is in the status of a Sunnah traced to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and is not an independent legal reasoning that came from him. Even if it did come from him, as long as they were the Companions who were behind him, and the followers as well. Therefore, the resident who follows the traveler does not follow the traveler in shortening the prayer, for what we have mentioned, and for another thing, which is a very great witness to this hadith of 'Umar, or rather to the weak hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn. It was narrated in Sahih Muslim that a man asked 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) about a man from a distant place who comes to Makkah and prays behind the resident imam. He said: "The one who prays behind the resident imam prays with his prayer, and otherwise he prays shortened". Then he followed that with his saying: "The Sunnah of Abu al-Qasim (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)". This is a hadith in Sahih Muslim. And unfortunately, some of those who today claim to work with the hadith have gotten involved in writing a treatise in which they clarify that it is not permissible for the traveler to complete the prayer, even if he prays behind a resident, and that he must limit himself to two rak'ahs when the imam prays two rak'ahs, so he does not stand with him for the third, and he says the taslim to his right and to his left, because what is obligatory for him is two rak'ahs. The evidence these people used is the general texts that the traveler's prayer is two rak'ahs, the Sunnah of the Prophet. This is a correct statement, but this is an argument from the general text, and something has come that specifies it, so it is not permissible in this state to remain with the general text and turn away from the specific text. For this reason, I say that the resident who follows a traveler must complete the prayer. As for the traveler who follows a resident, he must also follow the imam and not shorten the prayer, unless he is the imam himself or prays alone. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
The Shaykh : Do you mean that I am a resident?
Another questioner: No, you are with a group. I am explaining to him, meaning we went out as a group...
The Shaykh : ... .
Another questioner: The Shaykh answered this implicitly, but let me repeat it once more for the sake of...
The Shaykh : clarification.
Another questioner: But here there is a clarification in the recording that explains this.
The Shaykh : Yes
Another questioner: If we now go out as a group to a place, and we all have the same starting point, our intention should be one.
The Shaykh : Of course.
Another questioner: Because it is one journey, but some of us see that the law obligates them to shorten the prayer because they are travelers, and some of us see that this is not a journey but rather a leisure trip and a break.
The Shaykh : Okay.
Another questioner: Then we come to pray, how should we pray? For example, if one of us who considers shortening the prayer leads, what is the status of the one who disagrees with his opinion, or the reverse?
The Shaykh : If the imam who is praying prays four rak'ahs because he considers himself a resident, and those behind him consider the opposite of his opinion, that they are travelers, then they pray the imam's prayer, which is four rak'ahs. And if it is the reverse, meaning the imam is a traveler and prays two rak'ahs, and those behind him consider themselves to be in the status of residents, then when he says the taslim, he says it at the end of two rak'ahs. And if he knows their opinion, he tells them, "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people," and they pray four rak'ahs.
Another questioner: Okay, what if he follows? In the sense of following the imam and differing from his school of thought?
The Shaykh : Who is following?
Another questioner: For example, I consider completing the prayer, let us suppose, and then I see...
The Shaykh : Are you the imam?
Another questioner: No, I am a ma'mum.
The Shaykh : A follower?
Another questioner: Yes
The Shaykh : Very well.
Another questioner: And we were led by one who considers shortening the prayer. Does this mean it is permissible for me to follow him and give up my school of thought and my independent legal reasoning?
The Shaykh : No, no, because here there is no independent legal reasoning in the place of an explicit text... Regarding the previous question, if the imam is a traveler and those behind him are residents, or some of them are residents, then when the imam says the taslim at the end of two rak'ahs, considering that he is a traveler as we mentioned, what do the residents behind him do? Do they say the taslim with him, by analogy to the reverse case, which is if the imam is a resident and those behind him are travelers? Do they say the taslim at the end of two rak'ahs or do they follow the imam? In this issue, they follow the imam. But in the issue we are currently addressing, to which the last question was directed, the correct ruling is exactly the opposite. That is, those praying behind the resident imam, when the imam says the taslim, they stand up and complete their prayer, considering that they are residents. And because the established Sunnah is explicit in what we are saying. You know, for example, that among the etiquettes and recommended practices of the traveling imam when he leads residents, it is obligatory for him to shorten the prayer, and he does not pray their prayer. But to alert those who might be behind him among the residents who are unaware, to alert those who might be behind him who are unaware, when he says the taslim to his right and quietly, because exiting the prayer with the taslim is an obligatory part of the prayer, he says the taslim quietly, then he raises his voice to say to the residents behind him: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". This was the practice during the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). And this is an example of hundreds, indeed hundreds of examples, of our recent discussion that we are with the Book and the Sunnah and what the righteous Salaf were upon. If we asked any person who does not take this condition we are going on about—the righteous Salaf—what does this traveling imam do? Does he say, "Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy," from two rak'ahs and the matter is over? We say no, but rather we say, as is authentic from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, that when he performed Hajj during his caliphate and led the people there in the Sacred House, he prayed two rak'ahs and said: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". And I say 'Umar, and I do not say "Prophet 'Umar," in response to the principle I set for myself, following the imams of the Muslims who do not permit using as evidence what is not authentic from the hadith. So it is authentic from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab what I mentioned. And it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from the hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), during the expedition to Tabuk, when he prayed there with the people, and among them were, of course, many residents around Tabuk, also said: "Complete your prayer, for we are a traveling people". But this hadith has the same defect mentioned previously in the hadith that the Messenger stayed in Tabuk for twenty days, in which 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jad'an is included, and it is weak in its chain. Therefore, I dispensed with using as evidence the hadith traced to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) due to the weakness of its chain, and I resorted to using as evidence the report of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab due to the authenticity of its chain. And there is no doubt that such an action would come from 'Umar in the largest gathering one can imagine, which is the Sacred Mosque, and in the season of the greatest Hajj. There is no doubt that such a thing is in the status of a Sunnah traced to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and is not an independent legal reasoning that came from him. Even if it did come from him, as long as they were the Companions who were behind him, and the followers as well. Therefore, the resident who follows the traveler does not follow the traveler in shortening the prayer, for what we have mentioned, and for another thing, which is a very great witness to this hadith of 'Umar, or rather to the weak hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn. It was narrated in Sahih Muslim that a man asked 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) about a man from a distant place who comes to Makkah and prays behind the resident imam. He said: "The one who prays behind the resident imam prays with his prayer, and otherwise he prays shortened". Then he followed that with his saying: "The Sunnah of Abu al-Qasim (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)". This is a hadith in Sahih Muslim. And unfortunately, some of those who today claim to work with the hadith have gotten involved in writing a treatise in which they clarify that it is not permissible for the traveler to complete the prayer, even if he prays behind a resident, and that he must limit himself to two rak'ahs when the imam prays two rak'ahs, so he does not stand with him for the third, and he says the taslim to his right and to his left, because what is obligatory for him is two rak'ahs. The evidence these people used is the general texts that the traveler's prayer is two rak'ahs, the Sunnah of the Prophet. This is a correct statement, but this is an argument from the general text, and something has come that specifies it, so it is not permissible in this state to remain with the general text and turn away from the specific text. For this reason, I say that the resident who follows a traveler must complete the prayer. As for the traveler who follows a resident, he must also follow the imam and not shorten the prayer, unless he is the imam himself or prays alone. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.