The Permissibility of Combining and Shortening Prayers for the Traveler During His Journey
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Is it permissible for a traveler to combine and shorten all prayers while he is on his way? If someone does so, does he have to repeat his prayer? And if he does not know the number of prayers, what is the ruling? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: The traveler shortens and combines; there is no blame on him, and in fact, it is a recommended practice (sunnah). Shortening is a recommended practice (sunnah), and shortening means praying the four-rak'ah prayers as two rak'ahs: 'Asr, Zuhr, and 'Isha'. This is shortening. As for adding 'Asr to Zuhr and adding Maghrib to 'Isha, this is called combining. Some of the common people make a mistake in this and call combining shortening. The correct view is that combining means adding Zuhr to 'Asr and Maghrib to 'Isha; this is called combining. And shortening means that one prays Zuhr as two rak'ahs, 'Asr as two rak'ahs, and 'Isha as two rak'ahs; this is called shortening.
So, it is prescribed for the traveler to shorten, as long as he is traveling. He prays Zuhr as two rak'ahs, 'Asr as two rak'ahs, and 'Isha as two rak'ahs. Even if he prays them in their times without combining them, this is the recommended practice (sunnah). But if the need arises to combine, he combines. For example, if he intends to depart after the sun has passed its zenith, it is better for him to add 'Asr to Zuhr and pray them as a combined advance prayer, then walk. Likewise, if he departs after the sun has set from one place to another... in travel, it is better for him to add 'Isha to Maghrib as a combined advance prayer. And conversely, if he departs before the sun passes its zenith, the recommended practice (sunnah) for him is to delay Zuhr with 'Asr, making it a combined delayed prayer. Or if he departs before the sun sets, it is better for him to delay Maghrib until 'Isha and pray them as a combined delayed prayer. This is how he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do it.
As for if one is a resident and at rest, he prays every prayer in its time; this is the best. For this reason, when he was in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he prayed the prayers in their times and did not combine. He prayed Zuhr in its time on the day of 'Id, and 'Asr in its time, and Maghrib in its time, and 'Isha in... and so on for the remaining days, (peace and blessings be upon him).
So, the conclusion is that for a resident who is at rest, it is better not to combine. And if he is a traveler, and even if he is in the midst of travel on land, it is better for him not to combine. But if the need arises to combine, there is no blame on him in doing so. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: The traveler shortens and combines; there is no blame on him, and in fact, it is a recommended practice (sunnah). Shortening is a recommended practice (sunnah), and shortening means praying the four-rak'ah prayers as two rak'ahs: 'Asr, Zuhr, and 'Isha'. This is shortening. As for adding 'Asr to Zuhr and adding Maghrib to 'Isha, this is called combining. Some of the common people make a mistake in this and call combining shortening. The correct view is that combining means adding Zuhr to 'Asr and Maghrib to 'Isha; this is called combining. And shortening means that one prays Zuhr as two rak'ahs, 'Asr as two rak'ahs, and 'Isha as two rak'ahs; this is called shortening.
So, it is prescribed for the traveler to shorten, as long as he is traveling. He prays Zuhr as two rak'ahs, 'Asr as two rak'ahs, and 'Isha as two rak'ahs. Even if he prays them in their times without combining them, this is the recommended practice (sunnah). But if the need arises to combine, he combines. For example, if he intends to depart after the sun has passed its zenith, it is better for him to add 'Asr to Zuhr and pray them as a combined advance prayer, then walk. Likewise, if he departs after the sun has set from one place to another... in travel, it is better for him to add 'Isha to Maghrib as a combined advance prayer. And conversely, if he departs before the sun passes its zenith, the recommended practice (sunnah) for him is to delay Zuhr with 'Asr, making it a combined delayed prayer. Or if he departs before the sun sets, it is better for him to delay Maghrib until 'Isha and pray them as a combined delayed prayer. This is how he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do it.
As for if one is a resident and at rest, he prays every prayer in its time; this is the best. For this reason, when he was in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he prayed the prayers in their times and did not combine. He prayed Zuhr in its time on the day of 'Id, and 'Asr in its time, and Maghrib in its time, and 'Isha in... and so on for the remaining days, (peace and blessings be upon him).
So, the conclusion is that for a resident who is at rest, it is better not to combine. And if he is a traveler, and even if he is in the midst of travel on land, it is better for him not to combine. But if the need arises to combine, there is no blame on him in doing so. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.