What is the ruling on combining prayers if the traveler is still in his town and has not yet set out on his journey?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh: If I intend to travel to the Prophet’s city, and before I travel the midday prayer becomes obligatory, is it permissible for me to pray the afternoon prayer with the midday prayer?
The Shaykh : If you are in your town?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible; it is not permissible to combine prayers unless you have begun your journey. However, this is except if you fear that you will not be able to pray the afternoon prayer, for example, if you are traveling with someone and you fear that he will not stop when the time for the afternoon prayer arrives, or if you are on a plane and you do not know whether you will reach the afternoon prayer in the country you are heading to or not, then there is no harm. But if your car is at your disposal and you can stop and pray whenever you wish, then do not combine, because combining is like shortening. Just as you do not shorten in your town, you do not combine either. But if a person fears that he will not be able to perform the second prayer, then he may combine.
The Shaykh : If you are in your town?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible; it is not permissible to combine prayers unless you have begun your journey. However, this is except if you fear that you will not be able to pray the afternoon prayer, for example, if you are traveling with someone and you fear that he will not stop when the time for the afternoon prayer arrives, or if you are on a plane and you do not know whether you will reach the afternoon prayer in the country you are heading to or not, then there is no harm. But if your car is at your disposal and you can stop and pray whenever you wish, then do not combine, because combining is like shortening. Just as you do not shorten in your town, you do not combine either. But if a person fears that he will not be able to perform the second prayer, then he may combine.