Is it permissible for a traveler who intends to stay to combine prayers?

The questioner : I say that the duration for shortening and combining prayers for a traveler is like when a visitor comes to Oman and intends to stay for one month to one and a half months. Is he allowed to combine? This is one point.

The Shaykh : Let it be a question and its answer, and a question and its answer; it is better that we do not repeat the questions.

The questioner : This is the first question.

The Shaykh : Let us stay with this question, so we say in answer to this question: First, my brother, combining is a dispensation for the traveler, whether he needs it or not. Acting upon it is a matter that Allah the Mighty and Majestic loves, as came in the authentic hadith , . So if the man is actually a traveler, he may combine, whether he needs to combine or not. However, combining is not exclusive to the traveler only; it is also permissible for the resident, but not from the perspective of taking a dispensation, rather from the perspective of pressing need. This is based on the statement of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), as in Sahih Muslim: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) combined between the midday and afternoon prayers, and between the sunset and night prayers in Madinah, without travel or rain. They said: What did he intend by that, O Abu 'Abbas? He said: He intended not to burden his Ummah." Here I pause for a moment, because this issue is very important, which is combining for the resident, and then we will return to combining for the traveler.