Permissibility of shortening the prayer as long as one has not reached the town in which one resides
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Q: From the questioner M. S. A. from al-Bahah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: If a person arrives at Riyadh Airport after the 'Isha' prayer, having not yet prayed Maghrib or 'Isha', should he combine and shorten the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers?
A: What is prescribed for the traveler, as long as he is traveling, is to shorten the prayer. As for combining prayers, there is a detailed ruling: if he is on the move, it is better to combine them, either bringing the later prayer forward or delaying the earlier one, according to what the situation requires; this is based on the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he used to combine Maghrib with 'Isha' and Zuhr with 'Asr when he was on the move. If he departed from his home before the sun passed its zenith, he would delay Zuhr and combine it with 'Asr (combining by delay). If he departed after the sun passed its zenith, he would bring 'Asr forward and combine it with Zuhr.
The same applies to Maghrib and 'Isha'. If he departed before sunset, he would delay Maghrib and combine it with 'Isha' (combining by delay). If he departed after sunset, he would bring 'Isha' forward and combine it with Maghrib.
However, if the traveler is staying in a place, it is better for him not to combine the prayers; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not combine the two prayers while he was staying in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
As for the one who arrives at Riyadh Airport having not yet prayed Maghrib and 'Isha', it is recommended for him to combine Maghrib and 'Isha' and to pray 'Isha' shortened. This is because the airport is outside the town in the present time. If he delays 'Isha' and prays it in full with the people in the town, there is nothing wrong with that. And success is from Allah.
A: What is prescribed for the traveler, as long as he is traveling, is to shorten the prayer. As for combining prayers, there is a detailed ruling: if he is on the move, it is better to combine them, either bringing the later prayer forward or delaying the earlier one, according to what the situation requires; this is based on the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he used to combine Maghrib with 'Isha' and Zuhr with 'Asr when he was on the move. If he departed from his home before the sun passed its zenith, he would delay Zuhr and combine it with 'Asr (combining by delay). If he departed after the sun passed its zenith, he would bring 'Asr forward and combine it with Zuhr.
The same applies to Maghrib and 'Isha'. If he departed before sunset, he would delay Maghrib and combine it with 'Isha' (combining by delay). If he departed after sunset, he would bring 'Isha' forward and combine it with Maghrib.
However, if the traveler is staying in a place, it is better for him not to combine the prayers; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not combine the two prayers while he was staying in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
As for the one who arrives at Riyadh Airport having not yet prayed Maghrib and 'Isha', it is recommended for him to combine Maghrib and 'Isha' and to pray 'Isha' shortened. This is because the airport is outside the town in the present time. If he delays 'Isha' and prays it in full with the people in the town, there is nothing wrong with that. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.