Ruling on Combining and Shortening Prayers for a Resident in a Non-Muslim Community
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Question:
This message came to the program from one of the listening brothers in Ireland. He says: I am a student pursuing graduate studies in engineering here in a non-Muslim community in Ireland. Is it permissible for me to combine and shorten the prayers?
Answer:
If you are residing in this country for a specific period, you have no right to shorten the prayers, nor to combine them. Rather, you must pray four rak'ahs, and pray each prayer in its proper time. As long as you have intended to reside for more than four days, you must pray Zuhr as four rak'ahs, 'Asr as four rak'ahs, and 'Isha' as four rak'ahs, each in its time, Maghrib in its time, and Fajr in its time. This is what is obligatory upon you.
However, if you are residing for a period whose end you do not know—whether it is two days, three, four, or more—meaning a residence of unknown duration, this does not prevent shortening, nor does it prevent combining. You may shorten, and you may combine. Likewise, if the residence is limited to four days or less, you may shorten in it if you wish, and combine, and there is no blame in that.
As for if a person intends to reside for more than four days for study, or other than study, or for one of the needs, he must complete four rak'ahs and not combine. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If the duration of study is seven years, for example, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh: No, he does not combine.
The presenter: He does not combine and does not shorten?
The Shaykh: And he does not shorten, yes.
The presenter: And he does not break his fast either?
The Shaykh: And he does not break his fast either, rather he fasts with the people, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
This message came to the program from one of the listening brothers in Ireland. He says: I am a student pursuing graduate studies in engineering here in a non-Muslim community in Ireland. Is it permissible for me to combine and shorten the prayers?
Answer:
If you are residing in this country for a specific period, you have no right to shorten the prayers, nor to combine them. Rather, you must pray four rak'ahs, and pray each prayer in its proper time. As long as you have intended to reside for more than four days, you must pray Zuhr as four rak'ahs, 'Asr as four rak'ahs, and 'Isha' as four rak'ahs, each in its time, Maghrib in its time, and Fajr in its time. This is what is obligatory upon you.
However, if you are residing for a period whose end you do not know—whether it is two days, three, four, or more—meaning a residence of unknown duration, this does not prevent shortening, nor does it prevent combining. You may shorten, and you may combine. Likewise, if the residence is limited to four days or less, you may shorten in it if you wish, and combine, and there is no blame in that.
As for if a person intends to reside for more than four days for study, or other than study, or for one of the needs, he must complete four rak'ahs and not combine. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If the duration of study is seven years, for example, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh: No, he does not combine.
The presenter: He does not combine and does not shorten?
The Shaykh: And he does not shorten, yes.
The presenter: And he does not break his fast either?
The Shaykh: And he does not break his fast either, rather he fasts with the people, 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.