A young man went out traveling and the time for prayer arrived; should he shorten the prayer? And if he stayed in the desert for five days, should he shorten and combine?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Our Shaykh, may Allah reward you: A young man left his town as a traveler and the time for prayer arrived. Should he shorten that prayer or not?
Then he stayed in the desert for three days, or five days. Should he shorten the prayer and combine it? Is that recommended for him?
The Shaykh : As for the first issue: he prays two rak'ahs, because the criterion is the performance of the prayer, not its time. For this reason, if a person arrives in his town after the time has entered, he prays four rak'ahs, and he does not say: "The time entered while I was a traveler, so I will pray two rak'ahs." No, the criterion is the performance of the prayer. Similarly, if the adhan is called while he is in his town and then he travels after the adhan, he prays two rak'ahs, considering the performance of the prayer.
As for the time of his stay of two or three days, shortening is a recommended practice (sunnah), meaning: it is recommended to shorten the four-rak'ah prayer to two rak'ahs. As for combining, it is better not to combine, because he is not in need of combining. Combining is only prescribed when there is a need for it. If he does not need it, it is better not to combine.
The questioner : O Shaykh, if for example some of the companions want to combine and others do not, will there be a disagreement between them?
The Shaykh : But is there any hardship?
It is said to those who chose to combine: it is better not to combine. If they insist, let them combine, and there is no harm.
The questioner : Should he combine with them?
The Shaykh : Yes, everyone combines, so that they do not become divided and so that the congregation is not diminished.
Our Shaykh, may Allah reward you: A young man left his town as a traveler and the time for prayer arrived. Should he shorten that prayer or not?
Then he stayed in the desert for three days, or five days. Should he shorten the prayer and combine it? Is that recommended for him?
The Shaykh : As for the first issue: he prays two rak'ahs, because the criterion is the performance of the prayer, not its time. For this reason, if a person arrives in his town after the time has entered, he prays four rak'ahs, and he does not say: "The time entered while I was a traveler, so I will pray two rak'ahs." No, the criterion is the performance of the prayer. Similarly, if the adhan is called while he is in his town and then he travels after the adhan, he prays two rak'ahs, considering the performance of the prayer.
As for the time of his stay of two or three days, shortening is a recommended practice (sunnah), meaning: it is recommended to shorten the four-rak'ah prayer to two rak'ahs. As for combining, it is better not to combine, because he is not in need of combining. Combining is only prescribed when there is a need for it. If he does not need it, it is better not to combine.
The questioner : O Shaykh, if for example some of the companions want to combine and others do not, will there be a disagreement between them?
The Shaykh : But is there any hardship?
It is said to those who chose to combine: it is better not to combine. If they insist, let them combine, and there is no harm.
The questioner : Should he combine with them?
The Shaykh : Yes, everyone combines, so that they do not become divided and so that the congregation is not diminished.