I am a student, and I often study at night until Fajr, then I sleep after sunrise. Sometimes I wake up and there are only about ten minutes left until 'Asr, which is not enough.
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The questioner : I am a student, and I often study at night until Fajr, then I sleep after sunrise. Sometimes I wake up and there are only about ten minutes left until 'Asr, which is not always enough for ghusl and relieving myself. Is it prescribed for me in such a case to combine Zuhr with 'Asr by delaying them? I have read that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined prayers in Madinah once without an excuse. When Ibn 'Abbas was asked about that, he said: "He intended not to cause hardship for his Ummah". Please give us a ruling on this.
The Shaykh : As for the claim that one heard that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) combined prayers in Madinah once without an excuse, this is not correct. What is reported in the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) is that he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 1211Sahih (Al-Albani) He denied a specific thing, namely fear and rain. This indicates that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) combines prayers for fear and combines them for rain. But Ibn 'Abbas was asked about that and said: "He intended not to cause hardship for his Ummah".
This is evidence that it is not permissible to combine prayers unless there is hardship in not combining them. As for when there is no hardship in not combining them, it is obligatory to pray the prayer in its time without delaying and without advancing it.
Regarding what the questioner mentioned about himself, we advise him to change this and to pray the prayer in its time. I think that if he had an appointment with a friend at the time of Zuhr, he would not sleep through that appointment, or if it were at the time of 'Asr, he would not sleep through that appointment. So let him seek help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and let him be resolute and active in performing the worship of Allah. Let him have an alarm that wakes him, either a ringing clock or a person he appoints to say: Wake me up at such-and-such time.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : As for the claim that one heard that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) combined prayers in Madinah once without an excuse, this is not correct. What is reported in the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) is that he said:
at Medina without any danger and rain
جمع في المدينة من غير خوف ولا مطرThis is evidence that it is not permissible to combine prayers unless there is hardship in not combining them. As for when there is no hardship in not combining them, it is obligatory to pray the prayer in its time without delaying and without advancing it.
Regarding what the questioner mentioned about himself, we advise him to change this and to pray the prayer in its time. I think that if he had an appointment with a friend at the time of Zuhr, he would not sleep through that appointment, or if it were at the time of 'Asr, he would not sleep through that appointment. So let him seek help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and let him be resolute and active in performing the worship of Allah. Let him have an alarm that wakes him, either a ringing clock or a person he appoints to say: Wake me up at such-and-such time.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.