We request details on shortening and combining in prayer?
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The questioner : I ask your eminence to detail the ruling on shortening and combining in prayer, as there are many opinions on this matter?
The Shaykh : Shortening is the recommended practice (sunnah) in every journey, and this is a matter of consensus. However, some scholars said that shortening is obligatory, while others said it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah muakkadah). As for combining, its cause is need. If a person needs to combine such that it is difficult for him to pray each prayer in its time, it is permissible for him to combine, because it is established in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) meaning that he did not make it a hardship upon his Ummah, peace and blessings be upon him. So whenever there is difficulty in not combining, combining is permissible, whether the person is traveling or is resident but sick, or is resident and it rains or the ground becomes muddy. People combine between Maghrib and Isha, and between Zuhr and Asr, so that it does not become difficult for them to go to the mosque twice. The summary of the answer now is: Does shortening have only one cause or two causes? Does shortening have only one cause or two causes? Two causes. No, shortening has only one cause, which is travel. If a person is sick while resident, he does not shorten the prayer.
Combining does not have one cause; its cause is difficulty, but its forms are many. It may be difficult for a person to pray separately due to sickness, or due to rain, or due to severe cold, if he goes out to the mosque and there is strong wind, for example, or cold, or other such reasons. So the cause of combining is difficulty, and the cause of shortening is travel. In fact, we may say that travel is a second cause for combining, and that if a person is traveling, it is permissible for him to combine even if it is not difficult for him to pray separately. This is the correct opinion: the traveler, even if he is staying or resident, has the option to combine, but leaving off combining is better unless there is difficulty.
The Shaykh : Shortening is the recommended practice (sunnah) in every journey, and this is a matter of consensus. However, some scholars said that shortening is obligatory, while others said it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah muakkadah). As for combining, its cause is need. If a person needs to combine such that it is difficult for him to pray each prayer in its time, it is permissible for him to combine, because it is established in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined in Madinah without fear or rain. They asked: What did he intend by that? He said: He intended not to make it a hardship for his Ummah.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم جمع في المدينة من غير خوف ولا مطر قالوا ماذا أراد بذلك ؟ قال : أراد ألا يحرج أمتهCombining does not have one cause; its cause is difficulty, but its forms are many. It may be difficult for a person to pray separately due to sickness, or due to rain, or due to severe cold, if he goes out to the mosque and there is strong wind, for example, or cold, or other such reasons. So the cause of combining is difficulty, and the cause of shortening is travel. In fact, we may say that travel is a second cause for combining, and that if a person is traveling, it is permissible for him to combine even if it is not difficult for him to pray separately. This is the correct opinion: the traveler, even if he is staying or resident, has the option to combine, but leaving off combining is better unless there is difficulty.