The honorable Shaykh, we were traveling from Riyadh, and at the airport the time for the midday prayer arrived, and we were in the airport, and I found a group of worshippers.

The questioner : We were traveling from Riyadh, and at the airport the time for the midday prayer arrived, and we were in the airport, and I found a group of worshippers. I led them and prayed the midday prayer as four units, and then we prayed the afternoon prayer as two units. One of the brothers told me: It would have been better if you had shortened both prayers, the midday and the afternoon, to two units each. Is my action valid?

The Shaykh : As for the answer to his question, we tell him that he should shorten the prayer, even if he is in the airport. Accordingly, if he had prayed the midday prayer as two units and the afternoon prayer as two units, he would have followed the recommended practice. As for his praying the midday prayer as four units and the afternoon prayer as two units, there is absolutely no basis for that. Likewise, if a person travels from his town after the time for prayer has entered, but he does not pray until he is outside the town, he may pray two units, because the criterion is the performance of the prayer. If he performs it while traveling, he prays it as two units, even if his travel began after the time had entered. If he performs it while residing in his town, he prays it as four units, even if the time had entered while he was traveling. Yes.

The questioner : He also says, honorable Shaykh.