Ruling on shortening the prayer for a married man in two towns

Question:
A man works in Jeddah, and his family, including his wife, live in Abha. That is, he has a house in Jeddah and another house in Abha. Is it permissible for him to shorten the prayer when he travels from Jeddah to his family in Abha? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
No, he may not shorten the prayer; because he is settled in Jeddah and in Abha. So if he is in Jeddah, he does not shorten, and if he is in Abha, likewise. As long as he is residing in Jeddah for work, for example, or he has a wife in Jeddah, he is a resident and prays the prayer of residents. And if he returns to his family in his hometown of Abha, or in his hometown of al-Khums, or in Jizan, or elsewhere, he does not shorten either; because he is in his hometown. Rather, he prays four rak'ahs. Yes.

The presenter : What is the distance between the two towns, between Jeddah and Abha?

The Shaykh : On the road, there is no harm. As long as he is on the road, he is a traveler. There is no harm in praying two rak'ahs, and in combining the Zuhr and 'Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers; because he is a traveler on the road between them.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.