The circumstances of my job require me to travel constantly between the cities of the Kingdom. Is it permissible for me to shorten all five prayers, and do I pray any of the recommended practices?
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The questioner : First, the circumstances of my job require me to travel constantly between the cities of the Kingdom. Is it permissible for me to shorten all five prayers, and do I pray any of the recommended practices?
The Shaykh : Shortening all five prayers is not permissible for anyone, because shortening is specific to the four-rak'ah prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is the midday, afternoon, and night prayers. As long as you are traveling, even if the duration of your travel and movement through the countries is long, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer; indeed, it is prescribed for you, either as an obligation or a recommendation, according to the disagreement among the scholars on this matter.
You shorten only the four-rak'ah prayer, and you combine if you need to combine the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of one of them, and the sunset and night prayers in the time of one of them.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the recommended practices—the recommended practices for the traveler are like those for the resident; he volunteers whatever he wishes, except for the regular voluntary prayers of the midday, sunset, and night prayers. For these three prayers, it is better not to pray the regular voluntary prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray any of the regular voluntary prayers except the regular voluntary prayer of the dawn prayer. The afternoon prayer has no regular voluntary prayer in the first place. So what remains is the midday, sunset, and night prayers; the traveler does not pray them, he does not pray the regular voluntary prayer for them. As for the rest of the voluntary prayers, such as the morning prayer, the prayer for guidance in a decision, and the eclipse prayer if it occurs while he is traveling, as well as standing in night prayer, all of this remains prescribed for the traveler just as it is prescribed for the resident.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Also, Muhammad Yusuf has a question.
The Shaykh : Shortening all five prayers is not permissible for anyone, because shortening is specific to the four-rak'ah prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That is the midday, afternoon, and night prayers. As long as you are traveling, even if the duration of your travel and movement through the countries is long, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer; indeed, it is prescribed for you, either as an obligation or a recommendation, according to the disagreement among the scholars on this matter.
You shorten only the four-rak'ah prayer, and you combine if you need to combine the midday and afternoon prayers in the time of one of them, and the sunset and night prayers in the time of one of them.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for the recommended practices—the recommended practices for the traveler are like those for the resident; he volunteers whatever he wishes, except for the regular voluntary prayers of the midday, sunset, and night prayers. For these three prayers, it is better not to pray the regular voluntary prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray any of the regular voluntary prayers except the regular voluntary prayer of the dawn prayer. The afternoon prayer has no regular voluntary prayer in the first place. So what remains is the midday, sunset, and night prayers; the traveler does not pray them, he does not pray the regular voluntary prayer for them. As for the rest of the voluntary prayers, such as the morning prayer, the prayer for guidance in a decision, and the eclipse prayer if it occurs while he is traveling, as well as standing in night prayer, all of this remains prescribed for the traveler just as it is prescribed for the resident.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Also, Muhammad Yusuf has a question.