How do we reconcile the opinion of the majority of scholars that shortening the prayer is obligatory for the traveler with the obligation of praying in congregation for him?
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The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh. Regarding the prayer of the traveler, we know that the prayer of the traveler does not have a specific distance or a specific duration, and that the correct view is that whatever is called travel allows its owner to shorten the prayer. And the majority of the scholars made shortening obligatory for him and did not make it a dispensation where he could either complete or shorten, but rather they made it obligatory upon him. So how do we reconcile the obligation of shortening for the traveler with the obligation to pray with the congregation?
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : This is first. Second: If this traveler is able to pray with a group of travelers who shorten the prayer, is it obligatory for him to pray with the mosque congregation, or does he pray with the group that is with him?
The Shaykh : As for your statement that the majority of scholars made shortening obligatory for him, this is not correct. Rather, the majority of scholars are of the opinion that shortening is not obligatory, and the issue has a well-known and famous disagreement. And what appears after reflection is that shortening is not obligatory. The evidence for this is what is almost a consensus of the Companions, in that the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), used to shorten the prayer in Mina during the days of Hajj, and at the end of his caliphate he began to complete the prayer. Those who objected among the Companions objected to that, including Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. When it reached him that Uthman had completed the prayer, he said, "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return." He cited as evidence for his objection that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr, and Umar used to shorten the prayer. Then he would pray behind Uthman and complete the prayer, and likewise the Companions would pray behind him and complete it. He was asked about that, and he said: "Indeed, disagreement is evil". If the Companions had considered shortening to be obligatory, they would not have completed the prayer behind Uthman, because whoever considers it obligatory would say that if one adds to two rak'ahs, his prayer is invalid. It is not possible for them to pray behind Uthman an invalid prayer, because that is forbidden. So I used to say initially that shortening is obligatory, based on the hadith of A'ishah:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 2:5 But the action of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) indicates that shortening is not obligatory, but rather it is a confirmed sunnah, without doubt. And if we say that it is a confirmed sunnah, then we say that if the traveler follows a resident, it is obligatory for him to complete the prayer, due to the generality of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 635 and the saying of
And it remains: Is it obligatory for him to pray with the congregation or not? We say: It is obligatory for him to pray with the congregation, due to the generality of the evidence indicating that whoever hears the call to prayer must attend and respond. But if the prayer is missed by him, or if he is in a distant place where it is difficult for him to go to the mosque where the congregation is held, then he prays the prayer of a traveler. And if they are a group, they establish the congregation. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : You are from the people of the town, may Allah bless you. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh. Regarding the prayer of the traveler, we know that the prayer of the traveler does not have a specific distance or a specific duration, and that the correct view is that whatever is called travel allows its owner to shorten the prayer. And the majority of the scholars made shortening obligatory for him and did not make it a dispensation where he could either complete or shorten, but rather they made it obligatory upon him. So how do we reconcile the obligation of shortening for the traveler with the obligation to pray with the congregation?
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : This is first. Second: If this traveler is able to pray with a group of travelers who shorten the prayer, is it obligatory for him to pray with the mosque congregation, or does he pray with the group that is with him?
The Shaykh : As for your statement that the majority of scholars made shortening obligatory for him, this is not correct. Rather, the majority of scholars are of the opinion that shortening is not obligatory, and the issue has a well-known and famous disagreement. And what appears after reflection is that shortening is not obligatory. The evidence for this is what is almost a consensus of the Companions, in that the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), used to shorten the prayer in Mina during the days of Hajj, and at the end of his caliphate he began to complete the prayer. Those who objected among the Companions objected to that, including Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. When it reached him that Uthman had completed the prayer, he said, "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return." He cited as evidence for his objection that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr, and Umar used to shorten the prayer. Then he would pray behind Uthman and complete the prayer, and likewise the Companions would pray behind him and complete it. He was asked about that, and he said: "Indeed, disagreement is evil". If the Companions had considered shortening to be obligatory, they would not have completed the prayer behind Uthman, because whoever considers it obligatory would say that if one adds to two rak'ahs, his prayer is invalid. It is not possible for them to pray behind Uthman an invalid prayer, because that is forbidden. So I used to say initially that shortening is obligatory, based on the hadith of A'ishah:
The first thing that was made obligatory was that the prayer was two rak'ahs, so the prayer of travel was left as it was, and the prayer of residence was increased.
كان أول ما فرضت الصلاة ركعتين فأقرت صلاة السفر وزيد في صلاة الحضرand pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed
ما أدركتم فصلوا وما فاتكم فأتمواIbn Abbas, when asked about the traveling man who prays two rak'ahs while the imam prays four, said: That is the sunnah.
ابن عباس حين سُئل عن الرجل المسافر يصلي ركعتين ومع الإمام أربعا قال : تلك هي السنةAnd it remains: Is it obligatory for him to pray with the congregation or not? We say: It is obligatory for him to pray with the congregation, due to the generality of the evidence indicating that whoever hears the call to prayer must attend and respond. But if the prayer is missed by him, or if he is in a distant place where it is difficult for him to go to the mosque where the congregation is held, then he prays the prayer of a traveler. And if they are a group, they establish the congregation. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : You are from the people of the town, may Allah bless you. Yes.