The Ruling on Combining and Shortening Prayers During Hajj

Question:
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in Makkah, did he shorten the prayer and combine it, or did he shorten it without combining?

Answer:
It is well known that he (peace and blessings be upon him) shortened the prayer without combining, and likewise in Mina. The scholars said: This is the best practice if the traveler is staying in one place. It is best for him to shorten without combining, unless there is a need, such as a shortage of water or similar necessities. In that case, there is no harm in combining. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him) combined prayers at Tabuk, and Tabuk was before the Farewell Pilgrimage. It is established in Sahih Muslim that he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed while staying in Tabuk, combining and shortening.
Likewise, his (peace and blessings be upon him) combining at 'Arafah. He was staying in 'Arafah, and yet he combined for the benefit of the ritual, so that there would be ample time for the pilgrims to make supplication and humble themselves to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), even though he arrived there before the midday prayer. However, he combined while staying there for the clear benefit. Similarly, if the people are facing hardship, such as winter and cold, and they are travelers, and he sees that combining with them will remove the hardship caused by the cold, or strong winds, or a shortage of water, or something similar that the leader of the army or the head of the caravan sees.