Is it permissible for a traveler to perform the prayer in full, or is it obligatory for him to shorten it? And if he does not shorten this prayer, does he commit a sin?
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The questioner : This questioner asks: Is it permissible for a traveler to perform the prayer in full, or is it obligatory for him to shorten it? And if he does not shorten this prayer, does he commit a sin?
The Shaykh : Some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) hold that it is obligatory for a traveler to shorten the four-rak'ah prayer, and that if he completes it, his prayer is invalid, just as if he prayed five rak'ahs for the midday prayer.
Others hold that shortening is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory, and that if a person completes the prayer while traveling, he has not followed the sunnah, but his prayer is not invalid. This is the more correct view: that shortening is not obligatory, but rather a confirmed sunnah. Evidence for this is that when the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), completed the prayer at Mina, and those among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who disliked it did so, even Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), when he heard of it, said: "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return". However, they (may Allah be pleased with them) prayed four rak'ahs behind him. If shortening had been obligatory, they would not have prayed four rak'ahs behind him, because if shortening is obligatory, then whoever adds to it invalidates his prayer, and it would not be possible for them to pray four rak'ahs behind him in a way that invalidates their prayer. This strengthened for me the view that a traveler's shortening of the prayer is not obligatory, but rather a confirmed sunnah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) hold that it is obligatory for a traveler to shorten the four-rak'ah prayer, and that if he completes it, his prayer is invalid, just as if he prayed five rak'ahs for the midday prayer.
Others hold that shortening is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory, and that if a person completes the prayer while traveling, he has not followed the sunnah, but his prayer is not invalid. This is the more correct view: that shortening is not obligatory, but rather a confirmed sunnah. Evidence for this is that when the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), completed the prayer at Mina, and those among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who disliked it did so, even Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), when he heard of it, said: "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return". However, they (may Allah be pleased with them) prayed four rak'ahs behind him. If shortening had been obligatory, they would not have prayed four rak'ahs behind him, because if shortening is obligatory, then whoever adds to it invalidates his prayer, and it would not be possible for them to pray four rak'ahs behind him in a way that invalidates their prayer. This strengthened for me the view that a traveler's shortening of the prayer is not obligatory, but rather a confirmed sunnah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.