The ruling on combining and shortening prayers for a traveler after reaching Madinah

Question:
A group of people were traveling when the time for the midday prayer came, and likewise the time for the afternoon prayer, while they were still on their journey. They delayed the prayers until they arrived in Madinah. Should they pray them combined and shortened?

Answer:
If Madinah is their home city, they are not permitted to shorten the prayer. However, if they passed through Madinah and did not intend to stay there, or if they stay there for a short period—such as one, two, three, or up to four days—there is no harm in shortening the prayer if they delay the midday prayer until the afternoon prayer and pray them in the city they passed through. For example, people who go to Madinah and pass through Jeddah, intending to go to Madinah, and they spend a day or two in Jeddah; there is no harm in shortening the prayer, combining and shortening, because it is of the same kind as a stage of travel, of the same kind as if they had stopped at a water source or any other place.
As for if they intended to go to Madinah and it is their homeland, or to Riyadh and it is their homeland, and they delayed the midday prayer until the afternoon prayer; no, they must pray the full prayer. That is, they arrived not for travel, but to their homeland, or they intended to go to Madinah to stay there for a long time—more than four days—then they must also complete the prayer. If the intention is to stay for more than four days, intending to reside for more than four days, the majority of scholars hold that they must complete the four rak'ahs.