Is shortening and combining the prayer obligatory for the traveler, or is it a recommended practice? And if he does not shorten or combine, is there any sin upon him?
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The questioner : Is shortening the prayer and combining it obligatory for the traveler, or is it a recommended practice? And if he does not shorten and combine, is there any sin upon him, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes. Shortening the prayer for the traveler is very, very strongly recommended. Even if it were said to be obligatory, that would not be far-fetched. But the correct view, after I have considered it, is that shortening is not obligatory. The evidence for this is that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray behind 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) when he began to complete the prayer in Mina, and they did not repeat the prayer. If shortening had been obligatory, they would not have followed him in the four rak'ahs. So the correct view is that it is not obligatory, but it is a very, very strongly recommended practice as long as a person is traveling; he should not add to the four-rak'ah prayer more than two rak'ahs.
As for combining, it is recommended if a person is traveling, meaning if he has set out on the journey. The recommended practice is to combine according to what is easier for him, either combining by bringing the prayer forward or combining by delaying it.
As for if the traveler is staying in a place, the better option is not to combine. And if he does combine, there is no harm. So combining differs from shortening. Shortening is a very, very strongly recommended practice as long as a person is traveling, even if the duration of his travel is long. And combining: if he is traveling, meaning on the road, the better option is to combine, and he should combine according to what is easier for him, either combining by bringing the prayer forward or combining by delaying it.
And if he is staying in a place, the better option is not to combine. And if he does combine, there is no harm. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh...
The Shaykh : It remains to say: if a person completes the prayer.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If he completes the prayer and does not combine while traveling, we say this is permissible, but it is contrary to the recommended practice. The recommended practice is to shorten the prayer while traveling in all cases, and to combine if the need for combining arises.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. Shortening the prayer for the traveler is very, very strongly recommended. Even if it were said to be obligatory, that would not be far-fetched. But the correct view, after I have considered it, is that shortening is not obligatory. The evidence for this is that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray behind 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) when he began to complete the prayer in Mina, and they did not repeat the prayer. If shortening had been obligatory, they would not have followed him in the four rak'ahs. So the correct view is that it is not obligatory, but it is a very, very strongly recommended practice as long as a person is traveling; he should not add to the four-rak'ah prayer more than two rak'ahs.
As for combining, it is recommended if a person is traveling, meaning if he has set out on the journey. The recommended practice is to combine according to what is easier for him, either combining by bringing the prayer forward or combining by delaying it.
As for if the traveler is staying in a place, the better option is not to combine. And if he does combine, there is no harm. So combining differs from shortening. Shortening is a very, very strongly recommended practice as long as a person is traveling, even if the duration of his travel is long. And combining: if he is traveling, meaning on the road, the better option is to combine, and he should combine according to what is easier for him, either combining by bringing the prayer forward or combining by delaying it.
And if he is staying in a place, the better option is not to combine. And if he does combine, there is no harm. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh...
The Shaykh : It remains to say: if a person completes the prayer.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If he completes the prayer and does not combine while traveling, we say this is permissible, but it is contrary to the recommended practice. The recommended practice is to shorten the prayer while traveling in all cases, and to combine if the need for combining arises.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.