We came from al-Taif. The Shaykh: Yes. The questioner: We came from al-Taif and we performed the Zuhr prayer before the district...
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The questioner : We came from al-Taif.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : We came from al-Taif and we performed the Zuhr prayer before the district... by twenty kilometers, Zuhr and 'Asr, and it was the time of 'Asr, and we performed Zuhr as four rak'ahs and 'Asr as four rak'ahs.
The Shaykh : And you were travelers.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : By Allah, there was one of us who said, "Now we will pray in the district of al-Dawadimi."
The Shaykh : And you are from the people of al-Dawadimi.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a person to issue a fatwa on what he does not know, thereby obliging the servants of Allah with what Allah has not obligated them with. A traveler's journey does not end except by his actual arrival at the town, meaning by entering the town. For this reason, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) shortened the prayer on his return from a journey while he could see al-Kufah, and al-Kufah was his place of residence, as we know that he was killed in al-Kufah. So he shortened the prayer while he could see al-Kufah. It was said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful! This is al-Kufah." He said, "We have not entered it yet," or words to that effect. So if a person is twenty meters away from his town but has not entered the town, he may avail himself of the dispensations of travel.
And as for the one who issued the fatwa to you, my advice to you is to advise him on your way and say, "My brother! Do not rush into issuing fatwas. Fatwa is serious, because a fatwa is informing people about Allah that this is the ruling of Allah. For this reason, we consider fatwa to be among the most dangerous matters. A scrupulous person says, 'If I did not see that issuing a fatwa is obligatory upon me, I would not issue one,' because the matter is serious and not light. A fatwa is not a commodity for trade that a person trades in before people so that they see him and revere him. A fatwa is news about Allah that this is His Shari'ah, and this is a great responsibility.
For this reason, the righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them, and may He include us with them) would decline to issue fatwas. They would say, "Go to so-and-so, go to so-and-so," until you reach the first one. All of this is out of scrupulousness. So advise him, may Allah reward you with good for me, not to rush.
As for your prayer, performing it as four rak'ahs, I hope there is no harm in that, because completing the prayer in places where shortening is prescribed does not invalidate the prayer. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : We came from al-Taif and we performed the Zuhr prayer before the district... by twenty kilometers, Zuhr and 'Asr, and it was the time of 'Asr, and we performed Zuhr as four rak'ahs and 'Asr as four rak'ahs.
The Shaykh : And you were travelers.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : By Allah, there was one of us who said, "Now we will pray in the district of al-Dawadimi."
The Shaykh : And you are from the people of al-Dawadimi.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a person to issue a fatwa on what he does not know, thereby obliging the servants of Allah with what Allah has not obligated them with. A traveler's journey does not end except by his actual arrival at the town, meaning by entering the town. For this reason, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) shortened the prayer on his return from a journey while he could see al-Kufah, and al-Kufah was his place of residence, as we know that he was killed in al-Kufah. So he shortened the prayer while he could see al-Kufah. It was said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful! This is al-Kufah." He said, "We have not entered it yet," or words to that effect. So if a person is twenty meters away from his town but has not entered the town, he may avail himself of the dispensations of travel.
And as for the one who issued the fatwa to you, my advice to you is to advise him on your way and say, "My brother! Do not rush into issuing fatwas. Fatwa is serious, because a fatwa is informing people about Allah that this is the ruling of Allah. For this reason, we consider fatwa to be among the most dangerous matters. A scrupulous person says, 'If I did not see that issuing a fatwa is obligatory upon me, I would not issue one,' because the matter is serious and not light. A fatwa is not a commodity for trade that a person trades in before people so that they see him and revere him. A fatwa is news about Allah that this is His Shari'ah, and this is a great responsibility.
For this reason, the righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them, and may He include us with them) would decline to issue fatwas. They would say, "Go to so-and-so, go to so-and-so," until you reach the first one. All of this is out of scrupulousness. So advise him, may Allah reward you with good for me, not to rush.
As for your prayer, performing it as four rak'ahs, I hope there is no harm in that, because completing the prayer in places where shortening is prescribed does not invalidate the prayer. Yes.