The duration of stay that allows for shortening the prayer
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Question:
This questioner says in his second question, and this is a questioner from Jordan who says: I travel to a foreign country, and the duration is from two to four months, and I do not determine the length of my stay there. For example, I travel, O Shaykh, to these countries on one occasion with the intention of staying for one month due to compelling circumstances, but I end up staying for three months. How is the combining and shortening of prayer in such a case?
Answer:
If you intend to stay for more than four days, the position of the majority of scholars is that you complete the prayer. Whether you intend to stay for a month, two months, or ten days, the majority of scholars hold that you pray four rak'ahs. However, if the stay you intend is four days or less, there is no harm in praying two rak'ahs by shortening, unless you are alone. If you are alone, you must pray four rak'ahs with the congregation, not alone, because congregational prayer is obligatory. So you must pray with the congregation and complete the four rak'ahs. But if you have companions with you who are all praying by shortening, there is no harm in praying two rak'ahs if the stay is four days or less. As for if a Muslim intends and resolves to stay for more than four days, the majority of scholars hold that he completes the prayer with four rak'ahs and does not combine.
They argued for this with the story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage. He (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed for four days and shortened the prayer. He (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Mecca on the fourth day of Dhul-Hijjah and shortened the prayer until he headed to Mina on the eighth day, and these are days of... stay, and yet he shortened the prayer in them. So if a traveler stays for four days, he may shorten. And if he stays longer—intends to stay longer—he completes the prayer. This is the principle. The principle for residents is to complete the prayer. So if he intends to stay for more than four days, he completes it, does not shorten, and does not combine.
As for if his stay is not fixed, and he does not know whether he will stay for three days, five days, or a month for a need that he does not know when it will end, then he has the ruling of a traveler. He may shorten and he may combine. He has the ruling of a traveler because he has not resolved to stay. If he has companions with him, but if he is alone, he prays with the people and does not shorten. He prays with the people in the congregation in the mosques, praying four rak'ahs, because congregational prayer is obligatory. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
This questioner says in his second question, and this is a questioner from Jordan who says: I travel to a foreign country, and the duration is from two to four months, and I do not determine the length of my stay there. For example, I travel, O Shaykh, to these countries on one occasion with the intention of staying for one month due to compelling circumstances, but I end up staying for three months. How is the combining and shortening of prayer in such a case?
Answer:
If you intend to stay for more than four days, the position of the majority of scholars is that you complete the prayer. Whether you intend to stay for a month, two months, or ten days, the majority of scholars hold that you pray four rak'ahs. However, if the stay you intend is four days or less, there is no harm in praying two rak'ahs by shortening, unless you are alone. If you are alone, you must pray four rak'ahs with the congregation, not alone, because congregational prayer is obligatory. So you must pray with the congregation and complete the four rak'ahs. But if you have companions with you who are all praying by shortening, there is no harm in praying two rak'ahs if the stay is four days or less. As for if a Muslim intends and resolves to stay for more than four days, the majority of scholars hold that he completes the prayer with four rak'ahs and does not combine.
They argued for this with the story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage. He (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed for four days and shortened the prayer. He (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Mecca on the fourth day of Dhul-Hijjah and shortened the prayer until he headed to Mina on the eighth day, and these are days of... stay, and yet he shortened the prayer in them. So if a traveler stays for four days, he may shorten. And if he stays longer—intends to stay longer—he completes the prayer. This is the principle. The principle for residents is to complete the prayer. So if he intends to stay for more than four days, he completes it, does not shorten, and does not combine.
As for if his stay is not fixed, and he does not know whether he will stay for three days, five days, or a month for a need that he does not know when it will end, then he has the ruling of a traveler. He may shorten and he may combine. He has the ruling of a traveler because he has not resolved to stay. If he has companions with him, but if he is alone, he prays with the people and does not shorten. He prays with the people in the congregation in the mosques, praying four rak'ahs, because congregational prayer is obligatory. 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.