What is the ruling on the rawatib (regular voluntary prayers) for one who has come from a travel distance and intends to stay for these ten days in this place, where the duration of the stay is known? Does he pray the rawatib or...
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The questioner : Your Eminence, what is the ruling on the rawatib (regular voluntary prayers) for one who has come from a travel distance and intends to stay for these ten days in this place, where the duration of the stay is known? Does he pray the rawatib or intend them as absolute voluntary prayers?
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that travel does not drop any of the voluntary prayers at all. That is, all the voluntary prayers that are sought in residence are sought in travel, except for only three voluntary prayers: the rawatib of the midday prayer, the rawatib of the sunset prayer, and the rawatib of the night prayer. And what remains for us of the rawatib? The dawn prayer.
The student: And the witr (odd-numbered night prayer).
The Shaykh : No, my brother, the witr is not among the rawatib. We have the dawn prayer remaining; there is no rawatib for the afternoon prayer. We said that the rawatib of the sunset, night, and midday prayers are not prayed in travel, but the rawatib of the dawn prayer is prayed.
So, the witr, the night prayer, the dawn sun prayer, the greeting of the mosque, and other voluntary prayers—are they prayed or not? We say they are prayed. Travel does not drop from the voluntary prayers except these three only, which are the rawatib of the midday, sunset, and night prayers. The rest of the voluntary prayers are required of the person. For example, if he comes to Makkah in these ten days and wants to pray, for instance, before or after the midday prayer as an absolute voluntary prayer, there is nothing wrong with it. And he should increase his prayer in this mosque, because prayer in this mosque is worth a hundred thousand prayers; prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram is worth a hundred thousand prayers. Yes, that is correct.
The students: What is the evidence?
The Shaykh : The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave the two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer, whether in residence or in travel. This is established in al-Bukhari and others. And that he used to pray witr on his mount, and he prayed the dawn sun prayer when Makkah was conquered in the house of Umm Hani' for eight rak'ahs. As for the rawatib of the midday, sunset, and night prayers, the evidence for that is the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he prayed the midday prayer one day and saw people praying after the prayer, so he said: "If I were one who prays voluntary prayers, I would have completed them", meaning if I were one who prays voluntary prayers. And it is not preserved from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to pray the rawatib for the midday, sunset, and night prayers.
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that travel does not drop any of the voluntary prayers at all. That is, all the voluntary prayers that are sought in residence are sought in travel, except for only three voluntary prayers: the rawatib of the midday prayer, the rawatib of the sunset prayer, and the rawatib of the night prayer. And what remains for us of the rawatib? The dawn prayer.
The student: And the witr (odd-numbered night prayer).
The Shaykh : No, my brother, the witr is not among the rawatib. We have the dawn prayer remaining; there is no rawatib for the afternoon prayer. We said that the rawatib of the sunset, night, and midday prayers are not prayed in travel, but the rawatib of the dawn prayer is prayed.
So, the witr, the night prayer, the dawn sun prayer, the greeting of the mosque, and other voluntary prayers—are they prayed or not? We say they are prayed. Travel does not drop from the voluntary prayers except these three only, which are the rawatib of the midday, sunset, and night prayers. The rest of the voluntary prayers are required of the person. For example, if he comes to Makkah in these ten days and wants to pray, for instance, before or after the midday prayer as an absolute voluntary prayer, there is nothing wrong with it. And he should increase his prayer in this mosque, because prayer in this mosque is worth a hundred thousand prayers; prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram is worth a hundred thousand prayers. Yes, that is correct.
The students: What is the evidence?
The Shaykh : The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave the two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer, whether in residence or in travel. This is established in al-Bukhari and others. And that he used to pray witr on his mount, and he prayed the dawn sun prayer when Makkah was conquered in the house of Umm Hani' for eight rak'ahs. As for the rawatib of the midday, sunset, and night prayers, the evidence for that is the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he prayed the midday prayer one day and saw people praying after the prayer, so he said: "If I were one who prays voluntary prayers, I would have completed them", meaning if I were one who prays voluntary prayers. And it is not preserved from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to pray the rawatib for the midday, sunset, and night prayers.