The Shaykh Al-Albani’s response to those who said that students studying abroad are considered travelers until they return to their home country.

The Shaykh : But is it valid to apply this analogy to what we hear from some scholars today, who say that regarding some students who travel from one country to another, whether that country is Islamic or one of shirk (associating partners with Allah), for the sake of seeking knowledge, a man, for example, leaves some of the Arab countries for Europe or America and resides there for long years, four years or more? Some of them say that this person is a traveler. How can he be a traveler? Here we ask: does the statement of Allah the Exalted, , apply to him? Absolutely not; he is a resident. This is all if we overlook the fact that when he settled in that country, he did not intend to reside there, whereas in reality it is a type of residence, at least for the entire academic year. Then, if he is given the opportunity to visit his home country during the vacation, he visits; otherwise, he does not. So the matter has a degree of precision, but it has a meaning that, if a student of knowledge reflects on it, he will find it, if Allah wills, clear and distinct, and more memorable than the words of the Shaykh al-Islam in clarifying that travel is related to intention. He gave an example, and he was a resident of Damascus in his time, of a man who left Damascus for hunting in one of its suburbs or villages, to a village, for example, known there as Dummar, which is about fifteen kilometers from Damascus. He said that he did not find the game he was seeking, so he set out walking, and thus he kept moving from village to village in search of the game, and he did not realize until he had reached Aleppo. Between Damascus and Aleppo, by modern standards today, are four hundred kilometers. He said that even though he covered a distance that is, by consensus, a distance of travel, he is not a traveler because he did not intend to travel. So, whether in the state of travel or the state of residence, the matter returns to the hadith about which some scholars say it is one of the three pillars of Islam, namely the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . And we suffice with this amount, if Allah wills, and we hope to meet you in good health.

Another questioner : Just a note on the same question: you mentioned, O Shaykh, regarding Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), shortening the prayer, but you did not mention combining the prayers. Did he not combine them?
The Shaykh : No, I did not mention it, because the narration includes both shortening and combining. The ruling on combining is not like the ruling on shortening. Shortening is obligatory, while combining is a dispensation. Then, shortening is specific to travel, whereas combining is not specific to travel!

Another questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The questioner : No problem, just one question, O our Shaykh.