What is the interpretation of the hadith (The Messenger of Allah combined prayers in the city without fear or rain)?

The questioner : How are you, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, we are well.

The questioner : Shaykh, may we ask some questions?

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner : Shaykh, the hadith of Ibn Abbas: regarding combining prayers in the city without fear or rain.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Shaykh, what is the correct view regarding its interpretation in your opinion, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : There is a sound coming from outside, do you hear it?

The questioner : No, I do not hear it. I am speaking to you from Kuwait, Shaykh!

The Shaykh : I understand, but I hear an extraneous sound. Anyway, specify your question. What is the problem for you so that the conversation between us does not drag on?

The questioner : Shaykh, I read the words of al-Shawkani in Nail al-Awtar.

The Shaykh : I am telling you: Summarize your question? Leave al-Shawkani aside. Summarize and shorten, what is your question?

The questioner : What is the correct interpretation of the hadith of Ibn Abbas: ?

The Shaykh : It means that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Combined - as in the narration of Muslim - between the midday and afternoon prayers, and between the sunset and night prayers; without travel or rain." They asked, "What did he intend by that, O Abu Abbas?" He said, "He intended not to burden his Ummah." So the combining here was not due to either of the two known causes, which are: travel and rain, as legal excuses for which it is permissible to combine the two prayers in a true combination. So the combining in this hadith narrated from Ibn Abbas was not due to any of these two causes, but rather for another cause which is broader and more comprehensive than the two mentioned: which is removing hardship. This is what we understand from this hadith.

The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, al-Shawkani mentioned in Nail al-Awtar.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : That the intended meaning is the apparent combination, as in the narration of al-Nasa'i.

The Shaykh : I refuted him directly, when I said: Due to a cause other than the two you mentioned, travel and rain, is the combining in travel an apparent combination?

The questioner : No, of course not.

The Shaykh : Therefore, I thought that just as I hoped you would summarize your question, I have summarized my answer for you from my side.

The questioner : This is good, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Okay, so what is the problem? I asked you from the beginning, and if you are repeating what al-Shawkani mentioned, that the intended combining is the apparent combination, the apparent combination does not exist in the hadiths except if it is in the hadith of the woman with irregular bleeding. But, but the combining for congregation, there is no apparent combination there. Are you convinced of the validity of combining for the sake of rain?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Okay, is it conceivable that combining for the sake of rain is an apparent combination? Say: No, say: No, and do not care.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Say: No, and do not care. Combining cannot, first of all, be anything but a true combination, and secondly, it cannot be anything but a combined early, not a combined late.

The questioner: All right, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh: Yes.