Explanation of the issue of combining prayers while traveling and the details thereof.
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
This combining of prayers while traveling: first, regarding the wording, if we look at the wording, we find that it is absolute, permitting the combining of the two prayers while traveling. The meaning of this absoluteness is that it includes combining by bringing the prayer forward or delaying it, and whether one is in motion or stationary. This is what the Sunnah indicates: that combining prayers while traveling is permissible, whether by bringing them forward or delaying them, whether one is in motion or not. When we look at the hadiths, we find that they indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not combine except when his journey was hastened and he was in a hurry, as in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar and the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Then, when we look again, we find that what is reported in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar and the hadith of Anas is combining by delaying, not combining by bringing forward. For this reason, the scholars differed on this issue. Some said that combining while traveling is permissible absolutely, meaning whether it is combining by bringing forward or delaying, and whether one is in motion or not. We said that this is the correct view. However, if one is in motion, combining is a recommended practice (sunnah), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did it, and because it is in accordance with accepting the dispensation (rukhsah) of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Accepting the dispensation of Allah is better than not accepting it. As for when one is not in motion, it falls under the category of what is permissible, not the category of recommended practice. One should not combine when not in motion unless there is a need, due to the disagreement of the scholars on this and because the Sunnah is not that clear. The closest evidence in the Sunnah is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was staying in al-Abtah in Makkah during the Farewell Pilgrimage from the fourth day until he went out to Mina. Abu Juhayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out one day at midday, when the sun was at its zenith, and his tent peg was set up, and he prayed the midday prayer (Zuhr) in two units and the afternoon prayer ('Asr) in two units. The apparent context is that he combined them. It is also reported about him in the Battle of Tabuk that he combined while stationary. Accordingly, combining when one is in motion is what? It is a recommended practice. One should not say, "No, I will not combine; I will walk, and when the time for the second prayer comes, I will pray it." We say this is contrary to the Sunnah. As for when you are stationary, the better course is
The questioner : not to...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : not to combine, and if you do combine, there is no blame on you. This is what the Sunnah requires. The hadiths remaining with us are only about combining by delaying. Some scholars held that combining by bringing forward is not permissible except at 'Arafah only, while combining by delaying is permissible in every journey. Is that clear? The correct view is that there is no difference, and that a person, when his journey is hastened, should do what is easiest for him, whether combining by bringing forward or combining by delaying, because this falls under the category of dispensations, and when it is a dispensation, a person looks to what is easiest. Where is your book? Hmm?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What...
The Shaykh : Where is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Where are they in it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Where is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning, it is not found in Unayzah?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is a mistake, and this is what makes you daydream. I am putting... You daydreamed two or three times in this short time, understood? Know that in seeking knowledge, a person must bring the book and note down the issues he hears so that they are not forgotten. Is it correct to come with empty hands? Do you go to the battlefield without a weapon? Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes... Well, if it becomes so, of course, and it is in your nature, in your fitrah, of course, meaning fitrah, then do not do this. I will not see you from now on without a book, if Allah wills.
So the important point is that the combining indicated by the Sunnah is what has been mentioned: if one is in motion, it is
The questioner : a recommended practice.
The Shaykh : a recommended practice, or otherwise it is permissible, and combining is permissible by bringing forward and by delaying, and one does what is
The questioner : easiest.
The Shaykh : easiest and most comfortable. This is what the Sunnah indicates, and it is the relied-upon view, if Allah wills. Some scholars say that combining is not permissible, and they interpret every text that came regarding combining as apparent combining. The meaning of apparent combining is that one prays the first prayer at the end of its time and the second prayer at the beginning of its time. Do you understand? Except for combining at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, based on the view that the cause is not travel but the ritual acts. But the correct view is the opposite, without doubt. Apparent combining is not a facilitation but a difficulty. In fact, one could say that apparent combining in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is not possible, because apparent combining is tied to knowing the exit of the time. Is it possible for anyone in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to observe the time when the shadow of an object is the same length as the object, to know that the time for the midday prayer has ended and the time for the afternoon prayer has entered? Yes, this is not possible, and I do not think the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did this. Likewise, when the twilight sets, they say the meaning of combining is that you delay the sunset prayer (Maghrib) until the red twilight is about to disappear, then you pray, and then you pray the night prayer ('Isha') after the twilight disappears. This is also extremely difficult. Very difficult. Therefore, those who say apparent combining only want to get rid of what is established by the Sunnah, but in reality, its application is absolutely impossible.
Well, it remains to be said: is continuity required in combining, or is separation permissible? The jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) in the Hanbali school of jurisprudence distinguished between combining by bringing forward and combining by delaying. They said that combining by bringing forward requires continuity, and there is no harm in separation in combining by delaying. They cited as evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined by delaying at Muzdalifah: when he prayed the sunset prayer, every person tethered his camel at his lodging, and then they prayed the night prayer. They said that as for combining by bringing forward, the derivation indicates the continuity of the two prayers, because combining means joining. You say, "I joined one to one, it equals what?"
The student: Two.
The Shaykh : Two. And the meaning of "I joined one to one" is that I attached it. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) chose that the meaning of combining is not joining the prayer to the other, but rather joining the time to the time. If that is the case, then continuity is not a condition, neither in combining by bringing forward nor in combining by delaying. His statement (may Allah have mercy on him) is closer to the truth: that whenever combining is permissible, a person combines, whether he is continuous between the two prayers or not. Based on that, if a person prays the midday prayer while traveling and does not intend to combine, and then it occurs to him to combine and pray the afternoon prayer before its time enters, based on the Shaykh's statement, this is permissible, because the meaning of combining is that the two times became one time by joining one to the other. But in any case, as long as a person can be cautious and not separate between the two groups in combining by bringing forward, that is better, more purifying for the conscience, and more precautionary. Yes.
This combining of prayers while traveling: first, regarding the wording, if we look at the wording, we find that it is absolute, permitting the combining of the two prayers while traveling. The meaning of this absoluteness is that it includes combining by bringing the prayer forward or delaying it, and whether one is in motion or stationary. This is what the Sunnah indicates: that combining prayers while traveling is permissible, whether by bringing them forward or delaying them, whether one is in motion or not. When we look at the hadiths, we find that they indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not combine except when his journey was hastened and he was in a hurry, as in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar and the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Then, when we look again, we find that what is reported in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar and the hadith of Anas is combining by delaying, not combining by bringing forward. For this reason, the scholars differed on this issue. Some said that combining while traveling is permissible absolutely, meaning whether it is combining by bringing forward or delaying, and whether one is in motion or not. We said that this is the correct view. However, if one is in motion, combining is a recommended practice (sunnah), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did it, and because it is in accordance with accepting the dispensation (rukhsah) of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Accepting the dispensation of Allah is better than not accepting it. As for when one is not in motion, it falls under the category of what is permissible, not the category of recommended practice. One should not combine when not in motion unless there is a need, due to the disagreement of the scholars on this and because the Sunnah is not that clear. The closest evidence in the Sunnah is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was staying in al-Abtah in Makkah during the Farewell Pilgrimage from the fourth day until he went out to Mina. Abu Juhayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out one day at midday, when the sun was at its zenith, and his tent peg was set up, and he prayed the midday prayer (Zuhr) in two units and the afternoon prayer ('Asr) in two units. The apparent context is that he combined them. It is also reported about him in the Battle of Tabuk that he combined while stationary. Accordingly, combining when one is in motion is what? It is a recommended practice. One should not say, "No, I will not combine; I will walk, and when the time for the second prayer comes, I will pray it." We say this is contrary to the Sunnah. As for when you are stationary, the better course is
The questioner : not to...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : not to combine, and if you do combine, there is no blame on you. This is what the Sunnah requires. The hadiths remaining with us are only about combining by delaying. Some scholars held that combining by bringing forward is not permissible except at 'Arafah only, while combining by delaying is permissible in every journey. Is that clear? The correct view is that there is no difference, and that a person, when his journey is hastened, should do what is easiest for him, whether combining by bringing forward or combining by delaying, because this falls under the category of dispensations, and when it is a dispensation, a person looks to what is easiest. Where is your book? Hmm?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What...
The Shaykh : Where is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Where are they in it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Where is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning, it is not found in Unayzah?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is a mistake, and this is what makes you daydream. I am putting... You daydreamed two or three times in this short time, understood? Know that in seeking knowledge, a person must bring the book and note down the issues he hears so that they are not forgotten. Is it correct to come with empty hands? Do you go to the battlefield without a weapon? Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes... Well, if it becomes so, of course, and it is in your nature, in your fitrah, of course, meaning fitrah, then do not do this. I will not see you from now on without a book, if Allah wills.
So the important point is that the combining indicated by the Sunnah is what has been mentioned: if one is in motion, it is
The questioner : a recommended practice.
The Shaykh : a recommended practice, or otherwise it is permissible, and combining is permissible by bringing forward and by delaying, and one does what is
The questioner : easiest.
The Shaykh : easiest and most comfortable. This is what the Sunnah indicates, and it is the relied-upon view, if Allah wills. Some scholars say that combining is not permissible, and they interpret every text that came regarding combining as apparent combining. The meaning of apparent combining is that one prays the first prayer at the end of its time and the second prayer at the beginning of its time. Do you understand? Except for combining at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, based on the view that the cause is not travel but the ritual acts. But the correct view is the opposite, without doubt. Apparent combining is not a facilitation but a difficulty. In fact, one could say that apparent combining in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is not possible, because apparent combining is tied to knowing the exit of the time. Is it possible for anyone in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to observe the time when the shadow of an object is the same length as the object, to know that the time for the midday prayer has ended and the time for the afternoon prayer has entered? Yes, this is not possible, and I do not think the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did this. Likewise, when the twilight sets, they say the meaning of combining is that you delay the sunset prayer (Maghrib) until the red twilight is about to disappear, then you pray, and then you pray the night prayer ('Isha') after the twilight disappears. This is also extremely difficult. Very difficult. Therefore, those who say apparent combining only want to get rid of what is established by the Sunnah, but in reality, its application is absolutely impossible.
Well, it remains to be said: is continuity required in combining, or is separation permissible? The jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) in the Hanbali school of jurisprudence distinguished between combining by bringing forward and combining by delaying. They said that combining by bringing forward requires continuity, and there is no harm in separation in combining by delaying. They cited as evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined by delaying at Muzdalifah: when he prayed the sunset prayer, every person tethered his camel at his lodging, and then they prayed the night prayer. They said that as for combining by bringing forward, the derivation indicates the continuity of the two prayers, because combining means joining. You say, "I joined one to one, it equals what?"
The student: Two.
The Shaykh : Two. And the meaning of "I joined one to one" is that I attached it. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) chose that the meaning of combining is not joining the prayer to the other, but rather joining the time to the time. If that is the case, then continuity is not a condition, neither in combining by bringing forward nor in combining by delaying. His statement (may Allah have mercy on him) is closer to the truth: that whenever combining is permissible, a person combines, whether he is continuous between the two prayers or not. Based on that, if a person prays the midday prayer while traveling and does not intend to combine, and then it occurs to him to combine and pray the afternoon prayer before its time enters, based on the Shaykh's statement, this is permissible, because the meaning of combining is that the two times became one time by joining one to the other. But in any case, as long as a person can be cautious and not separate between the two groups in combining by bringing forward, that is better, more purifying for the conscience, and more precautionary. Yes.