Ruling on facing the qiblah in prayer while traveling

Question:
Facing the qiblah while traveling?

Answer:
If one is traveling, he may pray on his mount in the voluntary prayer, and in the obligatory prayer if there is a need. As for the voluntary prayer, he prays whether traveling or resident... As for the obligatory prayer, no, he must stand and face the qiblah, except in cases of dire necessity, such as a rushing stream or rain falling on him. He prays on his mount and faces the qiblah by gesturing, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did.
Q: Is facing it obligatory?
The Shaykh: It is obligatory in the obligatory prayer, but in the voluntary prayer, one prays in the direction of travel. In the voluntary prayer, whether on a mount or in a vehicle, one faces the direction of travel. If one faces the qiblah, that is better, and then one turns toward the direction of travel. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When the voluntary prayer came upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he would face the qiblah and then turn toward the direction of travel." This is the better option. And if one prays in the direction of travel absolutely, even at the beginning of the journey, there is no harm, as 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah and others, and Anas and others, reported that he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray in the direction of travel while traveling, meaning in the voluntary prayer.
As for the obligatory prayer, he dismounts to the ground and faces the qiblah, bows, and prostrates. But in cases of dire necessity in the obligatory prayer, there is no harm in praying on the mount and facing the qiblah, and stopping the camels if he is unable to dismount, such as rain and the ground beneath him is flowing, or a sick person tied to the mount who cannot dismount, a sick person or one who fears that if he dismounts he will be in danger; he prays on the mount facing the direction of the qiblah.