It is better for the traveler to refrain from combining prayers if he is staying, and Friday prayer is not obligatory upon him
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Question:
We often go out to the open countryside, especially on Thursdays and Fridays, which are the weekly days off. Most of the places we go to are at a distance that qualifies for shortening the prayer. Therefore, we pray the midday and afternoon prayers shortened and combined. Is this permissible?
And we hear, O honorable father, that it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave Friday prayer with the Muslims more than three times. Is this correct? Is there a specific number for this, even if a person travels frequently or goes out to the countryside? Please give us a ruling on this matter, which occupies the minds of many people. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is prescribed for the traveler to shorten the prayer while traveling, and it is permissible for him to combine the two prayers; because there are authentic hadiths regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is better for him to refrain from combining if he is staying, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did during the Farewell Pilgrimage when he stayed in Mina during the days of Tashriq. He did not combine the two prayers, but rather he prayed each prayer at its time. This indicates that this is the better option for the traveler if he is staying.
As for if he is on the move, it is better for him to combine, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If he set out on his journey before the sun passed its zenith, he would delay the midday prayer to be prayed with the afternoon prayer, combining them by delaying. If he set out after the sun passed its zenith, he would bring forward the afternoon prayer to be prayed with the midday prayer, combining them by bringing forward. And so it was with the one with peace and blessings upon him. If he set out from his lodging on his journey before the sun set, he would delay the sunset prayer and combine it with the night prayer, combining them by delaying. As for if he set out after sunset, he would bring forward the night prayer to be prayed with the sunset prayer and pray them combined by bringing forward. Shortening is a recommended practice, and if one completes the prayer, there is no blame on him.
The journey in which the prayer is shortened is one whose distance is 80 kilometers, which is the distance of a day and a night for camels. This is the stronger and more cautious position.
As for Friday prayer, it is not obligatory upon the traveler, nor is it valid for him to perform it. Rather, he must pray the midday prayer. However, if he passes by a village and prays Friday prayer with them, it suffices for him in place of the midday prayer. It is not permissible for a Muslim who is not traveling to leave the Friday prayer, whether once or more. Rather, he must maintain it with the Muslims; because it is an obligatory prayer at its specific time by the consensus of the Muslims. No one residing in a town is allowed to be absent from it; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 865 It was narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih.
And it was narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) the warning for whoever is absent from it three times, that Allah will seal upon his heart. So it is obligatory to be cautious of that and to maintain Friday prayer with the Muslims, for every resident in the town. And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Jumu'ah: 9].
We ask Allah to guide the Muslims to maintain it and to maintain all else that Allah has made obligatory upon them, and to guide them to be cautious of all that Allah has forbidden upon them. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Near.
We often go out to the open countryside, especially on Thursdays and Fridays, which are the weekly days off. Most of the places we go to are at a distance that qualifies for shortening the prayer. Therefore, we pray the midday and afternoon prayers shortened and combined. Is this permissible?
And we hear, O honorable father, that it is not permissible for a Muslim to leave Friday prayer with the Muslims more than three times. Is this correct? Is there a specific number for this, even if a person travels frequently or goes out to the countryside? Please give us a ruling on this matter, which occupies the minds of many people. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
It is prescribed for the traveler to shorten the prayer while traveling, and it is permissible for him to combine the two prayers; because there are authentic hadiths regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is better for him to refrain from combining if he is staying, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did during the Farewell Pilgrimage when he stayed in Mina during the days of Tashriq. He did not combine the two prayers, but rather he prayed each prayer at its time. This indicates that this is the better option for the traveler if he is staying.
As for if he is on the move, it is better for him to combine, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If he set out on his journey before the sun passed its zenith, he would delay the midday prayer to be prayed with the afternoon prayer, combining them by delaying. If he set out after the sun passed its zenith, he would bring forward the afternoon prayer to be prayed with the midday prayer, combining them by bringing forward. And so it was with the one with peace and blessings upon him. If he set out from his lodging on his journey before the sun set, he would delay the sunset prayer and combine it with the night prayer, combining them by delaying. As for if he set out after sunset, he would bring forward the night prayer to be prayed with the sunset prayer and pray them combined by bringing forward. Shortening is a recommended practice, and if one completes the prayer, there is no blame on him.
The journey in which the prayer is shortened is one whose distance is 80 kilometers, which is the distance of a day and a night for camels. This is the stronger and more cautious position.
As for Friday prayer, it is not obligatory upon the traveler, nor is it valid for him to perform it. Rather, he must pray the midday prayer. However, if he passes by a village and prays Friday prayer with them, it suffices for him in place of the midday prayer. It is not permissible for a Muslim who is not traveling to leave the Friday prayer, whether once or more. Rather, he must maintain it with the Muslims; because it is an obligatory prayer at its specific time by the consensus of the Muslims. No one residing in a town is allowed to be absent from it; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
People must cease to neglect the Friday prayer or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the negligent.
لينتهين أقوام عن تركهم الجمعة، أو ليختمن الله على قلوبهم، ثم ليكونن من الغافلينAnd it was narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) the warning for whoever is absent from it three times, that Allah will seal upon his heart. So it is obligatory to be cautious of that and to maintain Friday prayer with the Muslims, for every resident in the town. And Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَWe ask Allah to guide the Muslims to maintain it and to maintain all else that Allah has made obligatory upon them, and to guide them to be cautious of all that Allah has forbidden upon them. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Near.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.