Is the one who goes to the State of Bahrain, while residing in Dammam, considered a traveler for whom it is permissible to break the fast, combine prayers, and shorten them, given that Bahrain is only about 25 kilometers away from Dammam?
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The questioner : This message came from Dammam from the listener 'A 'A S. He says: O honorable Shaykh, is the one who goes to the State of Bahrain, while residing in Dammam, considered a traveler for whom it is permissible to combine and shorten prayers and break the fast, given that Bahrain is only about twenty-five kilometers away from Dammam? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The traveler from the Eastern Region to Bahrain is considered a traveler, for Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:101] And there is no doubt that the traveler from the Eastern Region to Bahrain is one who travels on the earth, and everyone knows that he is a traveler. As for the fact that the distance is twenty-five kilometers, this does not matter, because the stronger position among the scholars' opinions is that there is no evidence for determining the distance at which shortening is permissible; rather, the reference in this matter is to what is called travel in the custom of people.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this opinion is the stronger one. It is established in Sahih Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he traveled three miles or parasangs, would pray two rak'ahs", meaning he would shorten the prayer. Therefore, we say that travel from the Eastern Region to Bahrain is travel for which a person is granted all the dispensations of travel, such as shortening the prayer, breaking the fast in Ramadan, and wiping over the socks or leather socks for three days. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The traveler from the Eastern Region to Bahrain is considered a traveler, for Allah the Exalted said:
And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer
وَإِذا ضَرَبتُم فِي الأَرضِ فَلَيسَ عَلَيكُم جُناحٌ أَن تَقصُروا مِنَ الصَّلاةِThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And this opinion is the stronger one. It is established in Sahih Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he traveled three miles or parasangs, would pray two rak'ahs", meaning he would shorten the prayer. Therefore, we say that travel from the Eastern Region to Bahrain is travel for which a person is granted all the dispensations of travel, such as shortening the prayer, breaking the fast in Ramadan, and wiping over the socks or leather socks for three days. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.