And Abu Dawud has a narration from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): "When he would travel and wish to perform a voluntary prayer, he would turn his she-camel toward the qiblah, say the takbir, and then pray in whatever direction his mount was facing."
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The Shaykh :"And Abu Dawud has a narration from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): Bulugh al-Maram 2:78 His statement: The word means: he left his place of residence, because it is derived from *isfar* (traveling), as if he released himself from the bond, which is residing in his place. So traveling is leaving one's place of residence. It has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in an authentic or weak hadith that it is defined by miles, *farsakh*s, or *burd*s; rather, it was mentioned in general terms. The original rule for what is mentioned in general terms is to refer to the Shari'ah. If a specific limit is found, it is acted upon; if not, it is referred to custom. This is the rule. If we examine the Noble Book, we find Allah the Exalted saying: [An-Nisa 4:101] And He, Glorified and Majestic is He, said: [Al-Muzzammil 73:20] The one who travels on the earth seeking provision and trade may have a long journey or a short one. The important point is that there is no specific limit in the Book or the Sunnah; rather, these are specific cases. For example, if he traveled such-and-such a distance, he would pray two rak'ahs. This is not a restriction, but an explanation of the reality of a specific case. For this reason, the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) criticized the jurists who define it by distance and said: "Where are those who measure this distance, which is measured by miles, then *farsakh*s, then cubits, then fingers, then barley grains, then hairs? Who measures it? Where are the surveyors who reach this precision? And how can one say: 'Two men are apart by the width of a mule's hair; the one behind it is a traveler, and the second is a resident'? Meaning, if he lay down on the boundary, his feet would be resident and his head a traveler. Where is this? Where is the evidence?" And what he (may Allah have mercy on him) held is undoubtedly the necessary position. We have no evidence for estimation, and estimation requires a specification from the Shari'ah. Meaning, if the Shari'ah had come with four *farsakh*s or four *burd*s or the like, we would say: there is no harm in the eye and head, but we approximate, saying: this distance is two cubits or the like, and it does not harm, because we know for certain that the Shari'ah cannot measure to this extent. What hinders the acceptance of this view is the lack of regulation, the lack of regulation, because some people may say: this is travel, and some may say: it is not travel. But he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: a long distance in a short time is travel, and a long time in a short distance is travel. The criterion is: whatever a person prepares for and readies himself for is travel, regardless of the conditions present in the current era. Because now, if any person travels, even to the farthest place, he does not need to carry luggage, or be near water, or anything else. But in estimation, in estimation, if you go, for example, from your city a distance of one *farsakh*, a distance of one *farsakh*, but you return on the same day, do you prepare for this? No. But if you stay for two or three days, you prepare for it. For this reason, Anas said: Bulugh al-Maram 2:343 He prayed two rak'ahs. And let us make it *farsakh*s because it is farther. He prayed two rak'ahs. So, if he travels, by what do we define it? We define it by custom. Why? Because whatever is mentioned in general terms and not defined by the Shari'ah is referred to custom. This is the rule. This is one point. Second: estimation requires a specification from the Shari'ah to define it. If it is not found, it remains in its general state. Third: the precise estimation mentioned by the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them)—a person is certain, without doubt, that this has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). He says: Sunan Abi Dawud 1225Hasan (Al-Albani) Meaning: he prays a voluntary prayer. If someone asks: "Is not the obligatory prayer a voluntary act?" The answer is: Yes, but there is no harm in specifying the general with one of its types. There is no harm in specifying the general with one of its types. Otherwise, it is known that the obligatory prayer is the highest type of obedience, as Allah the Exalted said in the Qudsi Hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 6502 Meaning: he turns it toward the qiblah. Meaning: the takbir of ihram. Bulugh al-Maram 2:78 Meaning: the rest of the prayer is in whatever direction his mount is facing. In this hadith, there is an addition to what came before in the hadith of 'Amir, because the apparent meaning of the hadith of 'Amir is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prays the prayer from its beginning to its end, answering wherever his she-camel faces. And this hadith indicates that he begins the prayer first facing the qiblah, then turns it. And there is no doubt that this involves a type of hardship, especially if the mount is not very docile, as this may become difficult. So do we take the apparent meaning of the hadith of 'Amir because it is more authentic and easier for the Ummah? The entire issue is based on what? On facilitation. This is the stronger position. And we say: if what Abu Dawud narrated from Anas is authentic, then it is on the path of recommendation with facilitation, meaning with the condition that it is facilitated. Otherwise, if it is not facilitated, the dispensation becomes difficult. And the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) adopted this and said: it is obligatory that the opening of the prayer be toward the qiblah, based on the hadith of Anas. But the correct view is that it is not obligatory, and if it is facilitated for a person, let him face the qiblah at the takbir, otherwise not. Because theoretically, what difference is there between the first pillar and the pillar that follows it? No difference. It is true that the takbir of ihram is the one without which the prayer is not established, and it is the key to the prayer, but this does not obligate us to require people to face the qiblah when beginning a voluntary prayer. The discussion on the third condition, facing the qiblah, is finished. The question came in. The time for the question has arrived. Yes, please.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, a person needs to deviate.
The Shaykh : To, to.
The questioner : A person needs a car, for example... and the like. He looks for a direction.
The Shaykh : But it is his direction in reality, because he cannot proceed except in this direction.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Right or left, or he returns after, if the street must end until he reaches the exit, he returns. But this is his direction of travel in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What? Or.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He is still in the prayer, in the end of the prayer.
The Shaykh : By Allah, the apparent view is that this is part of the prayer, because it is in the interest of travel, unlike the one who turns to look and see what is in front of him, whether it is luggage, a tree, or an animal, which has no connection to travel. Yes, Salim.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. The words of the jurists regarding the definition of travel, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is an effort and an effort that is not from the rules of the Shari'ah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct. This also indicates that there is an effort and deepening. Yes, yes.
When [he (ﷺ)] traveled, and intended to pray a voluntary prayer, he used to direct his riding camel towards the Qiblah, say, "Allahu Akbar" and pray facing whatever direction it faced. [Its chain is Hasan (good)].
كان إذا سافر فأراد أن يتطوع استقبل بناقته القبلة فكبر ثم صلى حيث كان وجه ركابه ، وإسناده حسن "When he would travel
كان إذا سافرtravel
سافرAnd when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer
وإذا ضربتم في الأرض فليس عليكم جناح أن تقصروا من الصلاةothers traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah
وآخرون يضربون في الأرض يبتغون من فضل اللهWhen Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out on a journey of three miles or three Farasikh, he (ﷺ) used to pray two Rak'at.
كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا خرج ثلاثة أميال أو فراسخ صلى ركعتينand wished to say voluntary prayer, he made his she-camel face the qiblah
فأراد أن يتطوع استقبل بناقته القبلةSo he wanted to perform a voluntary prayer.
فأراد أن يتطوعAnd the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him
وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليهHe turned his camel toward the qiblah.
استقبل بناقته القبلةSo he said the takbir.
فكبرand pray facing whatever direction it faced
ثم صلى حيث كان وجه ركابهThe questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, a person needs to deviate.
The Shaykh : To, to.
The questioner : A person needs a car, for example... and the like. He looks for a direction.
The Shaykh : But it is his direction in reality, because he cannot proceed except in this direction.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Right or left, or he returns after, if the street must end until he reaches the exit, he returns. But this is his direction of travel in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What? Or.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He is still in the prayer, in the end of the prayer.
The Shaykh : By Allah, the apparent view is that this is part of the prayer, because it is in the interest of travel, unlike the one who turns to look and see what is in front of him, whether it is luggage, a tree, or an animal, which has no connection to travel. Yes, Salim.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. The words of the jurists regarding the definition of travel, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is an effort and an effort that is not from the rules of the Shari'ah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct. This also indicates that there is an effort and deepening. Yes, yes.