How to Pray in Mina and on the Days of Tashriq

Question:
What is the ruling on combining prayers while traveling in Mina? Some people combine prayers while traveling in general, whether they are moving or staying, and they combine in Mina on the Day of Tarwiyah and the Days of Tashriq on the grounds that they are travelers. Please advise us, may Allah reward you, on how to pray during these times?

Answer:
In Mina, the recommended practice (sunnah) is to shorten the prayer without combining it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the shortened prayer without combining it in Mina because he was staying and resting. The recommended practice is to shorten without combining. Likewise, if a traveler stops and rests, it is better for him to pray the shortened prayer without combining, though if he combines, there is no blame on him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined prayers while staying in Tabuk, and both practices have been reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him). He prayed the shortened prayer without combining it in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage, at the end of his life, and he did not live more than three months after that. He used to pray in Mina two rak'ahs without combining: Zuhr alone, 'Asr alone, Maghrib alone, and 'Isha' alone. This is the recommended practice on the days of Hajj, following him (peace and blessings be upon him), because he said: , and Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Ahzab: 21].