When is shortening and combining prayers permissible for the traveler?

Question:
The last question is from our brother Hindawi Ibrahim from Egypt. He says: We request information regarding the prayer of the traveler, and when is it permissible for him to shorten and combine?

Answer:
It is prescribed for the traveler to shorten his prayers during his journey. This means praying the four-rak'ah prayers as two rak'ahs: Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha. The traveler prays these three prayers as two rak'ahs, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for when he traveled (peace and blessings be upon him), he prayed two rak'ahs until he returned. As for Maghrib, it is three rak'ahs and is not shortened, whether traveling or residing. Likewise, Fajr is two rak'ahs and is not shortened; shortening applies only to the four-rak'ah prayers. So, when he leaves the city and goes beyond its buildings to the airport, which is far from the city, or in his car outside the city, he prays two rak'ahs.
As long as he is in the city, he prays four rak'ahs. When he leaves the city and goes beyond its buildings and structures, he prays two rak'ahs on his way to his destination. Likewise, when he passes through a town, he prays two rak'ahs. And so, on his return, he prays two rak'ahs. However, if he prays with residents, he prays four rak'ahs. If he prays behind a resident imam, he prays four rak'ahs with him. This is the Sunnah. "Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) was asked about the prayer of the traveler with the resident: does he pray four? He said: This is the Sunnah." If the traveler prays with the residents in the Sacred Mosque or the Prophet's Mosque or anywhere else, he prays four rak'ahs, following his imam.
Likewise, if he stays for a long period in the city, more than four days, and he has intended it, he prays four rak'ahs if he intends this stay and is determined about it, according to the majority of scholars.
As for if the stay is less than that; three or four days, or two days, he prays two rak'ahs if he is with someone. But if he is alone, he prays four rak'ahs with the people and does not pray alone; rather, he prays with the congregation and completes four rak'ahs with them. However, if he is alone in travel, he prays two rak'ahs, and there is no harm. Or if he is with a group, even if they are in a settled place, they pray two rak'ahs because they are travelers. But if the stay is determined and is more than four days, they pray four rak'ahs. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed for four days in Mecca during the Farewell Pilgrimage when he descended on the fourth of Dhul-Hijjah; he stayed until he went out to Mina on the eighth day. These are four days for which he had intended to stay, and he shortened the prayer in them. This indicates that if a traveler intends to stay for four days or less, he shortens. But if he is alone, as mentioned earlier, he prays with the congregation and completes the prayer, and does not pray alone unless there is no one with him, or if he misses the congregation, he prays two rak'ahs because he is a traveler.
Similarly, if the stay is not determined, and he does not know whether he will stay two days, five, or ten; he is in doubt, then he prays two rak'ahs and shortens as long as he has not determined a specific duration. He prays two rak'ahs even if the duration becomes long. If a person is seeking something and has not found it, or has a need he is looking for and has not found it, and he does not know the duration of his stay, he prays two rak'ahs because he is in the ruling of a traveler. May Allah guide them all. Yes.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.