How to Shorten and Combine Prayers While Traveling
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He also asks and says: I request a complete clarification of the shortened prayer. When a person travels a long distance, does he combine the prayers for a full day, especially since he is unable to make the travelers with him wait for him to pray, and the whole day would be spent traveling? What is the ruling on combining all the prayers with the Fajr prayer or with the Maghrib prayer, shortened? Is this in accordance with the correct understanding?
Answer: The shortened prayer was explained by Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in His Book in a general manner, and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified it. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Nisa: 101]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained it, so he would shorten the prayer while traveling: he would pray Zuhr as two rak'ahs, 'Asr as two rak'ahs, and 'Isha' as two rak'ahs. As for Maghrib, it is not shortened; he always prayed it as three rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. Likewise, Fajr is not shortened; it is always prayed as two rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. The shortening applies only to Zuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha', meaning the four-rak'ah prayers are reduced to two. As for combining prayers, it is a dispensation (rukhsah); if one needs it, he combines, otherwise he leaves it. If he departs after Zuhr and wishes to pray 'Asr with Zuhr, there is no harm. Likewise, if he departs after Maghrib and wishes to bring forward 'Isha' with it, there is no harm, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did in many of his travels. Likewise, if he departs before Zuhr and wishes to delay Zuhr to be prayed with 'Asr, this is better, so that he prays them in the time of 'Asr. Likewise, if he departs on a journey before Maghrib and delays Maghrib to be prayed with 'Isha', and prays them in the time of 'Isha', this is good, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did so.
As for the resident who stops at water or in a village for a temporary reason, if he is a resident who has stopped, it is better for him to pray Zuhr in its time, 'Asr in its time, Maghrib in its time, and 'Isha' in its time, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). During the Farewell Pilgrimage in Mina, when he was settled and staying in Mina, he would pray Zuhr alone as two rak'ahs, 'Asr alone as two rak'ahs, Maghrib alone as three rak'ahs, 'Isha' alone as two rak'ahs, and Fajr alone as two rak'ahs. This is how he would do in Mina, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, before he passed away about three months later (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the best. If the traveler, while resident, combines between Zuhr and 'Asr, and between Maghrib and 'Isha', there is no harm. As for Fajr, it is not combined with anything else; Fajr is prayed alone and is not combined with anything else. Shortening is only for Zuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha'. As for Maghrib, it is prayed as three rak'ahs, and Fajr is prayed as two rak'ahs. If the stay is not long, this is the practice. However, if the stay is long and he intends to stay for more than four days, he should complete the prayer, praying four rak'ahs, according to the majority of scholars. This is because when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed in Makkah during the Farewell Pilgrimage for four days, he shortened the prayer. The default rule is that the resident completes the prayer. We know that a stay of four days does not prevent shortening, because he arrived from Makkah on the fourth day and departed from it to Mina on the eighth day, and the duration of the stay in Makkah before the Hajj was four days. The majority of scholars cited this as evidence that this duration does not prevent shortening. If he intends a long stay exceeding four days, it is better and safer for him to pray four rak'ahs, as stated by the majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). Yes.
The presenter: Regarding the example mentioned by the questioner about combining all the prayers in a day for the traveler?
The Shaykh: As mentioned earlier, combining is for Zuhr and 'Asr in the time of one of them, and Maghrib and 'Isha' in the time of one of them. As for Fajr, it is not added to anything... it is prayed alone after the appearance of dawn and before the sun rises. Fajr is not added to anything; rather, it must be prayed alone after the appearance of dawn and before the sun rises. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: The shortened prayer was explained by Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in His Book in a general manner, and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified it. Allah the Exalted said:
And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلاةِAs for the resident who stops at water or in a village for a temporary reason, if he is a resident who has stopped, it is better for him to pray Zuhr in its time, 'Asr in its time, Maghrib in its time, and 'Isha' in its time, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). During the Farewell Pilgrimage in Mina, when he was settled and staying in Mina, he would pray Zuhr alone as two rak'ahs, 'Asr alone as two rak'ahs, Maghrib alone as three rak'ahs, 'Isha' alone as two rak'ahs, and Fajr alone as two rak'ahs. This is how he would do in Mina, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, before he passed away about three months later (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the best. If the traveler, while resident, combines between Zuhr and 'Asr, and between Maghrib and 'Isha', there is no harm. As for Fajr, it is not combined with anything else; Fajr is prayed alone and is not combined with anything else. Shortening is only for Zuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha'. As for Maghrib, it is prayed as three rak'ahs, and Fajr is prayed as two rak'ahs. If the stay is not long, this is the practice. However, if the stay is long and he intends to stay for more than four days, he should complete the prayer, praying four rak'ahs, according to the majority of scholars. This is because when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed in Makkah during the Farewell Pilgrimage for four days, he shortened the prayer. The default rule is that the resident completes the prayer. We know that a stay of four days does not prevent shortening, because he arrived from Makkah on the fourth day and departed from it to Mina on the eighth day, and the duration of the stay in Makkah before the Hajj was four days. The majority of scholars cited this as evidence that this duration does not prevent shortening. If he intends a long stay exceeding four days, it is better and safer for him to pray four rak'ahs, as stated by the majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). Yes.
The presenter: Regarding the example mentioned by the questioner about combining all the prayers in a day for the traveler?
The Shaykh: As mentioned earlier, combining is for Zuhr and 'Asr in the time of one of them, and Maghrib and 'Isha' in the time of one of them. As for Fajr, it is not added to anything... it is prayed alone after the appearance of dawn and before the sun rises. Fajr is not added to anything; rather, it must be prayed alone after the appearance of dawn and before the sun rises. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.