The Legitimacy of Shortening Prayer for the Traveler and the Distance at Which Prayer Is Shortened
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Question:
From the Arab Republic of Egypt, the brother: Muhsin Muhammad Awad Allah, asks and says: We request clarification of the issue of shortening prayer, shortening prayer while traveling. Is it established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he completed the prayer while traveling? And does the prayer of the traveler depend on distance and duration? We request clarification of this issue with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he traveled, would pray two rak'ahs: the midday prayer as two rak'ahs, the afternoon prayer as two rak'ahs, and the night prayer as two rak'ahs, until he returned from his journey. This is what is preserved from him (peace and blessings be upon him). It is also narrated from him that he would sometimes shorten and sometimes complete, but this is not preserved. What is preserved from him in the authentic hadiths is that he would shorten the prayer while traveling until he returned.
As for the sunset prayer, he would pray it as it is, three rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. Likewise, the dawn prayer, he would pray it as two rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. He would also pray the two light rak'ahs of the pre-dawn sunnah with the dawn prayer.
As for the sunnah of the midday prayer, the sunnah of the sunset prayer, and the sunnah of the night prayer, he would leave them off while traveling (peace and blessings be upon him). The believer should do what he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do while traveling.
Travel, according to the scholars, is what reaches the distance of a day and a night, meaning: two stages. This is the position of the majority of the scholars. This is estimated at approximately eighty kilometers for one who travels by car, and likewise in airplanes, ships, and steamers. This distance and what is close to it is called travel and is considered travel in the prevailing custom among Muslims. So if a person travels on camels, on foot, in cars, in airplanes, or in sea vessels, this distance or more, then he is a traveler.
Some of the scholars said: It is defined by custom, not by the distance measured in kilometers. Rather, what is considered travel in custom is called travel, and one shortens in it; and what is not, then one does not.
The correct view is what the scholars have established, that it is defined by distance. This is what the scholars are upon. One should adhere to this, and it is what came from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and grant them satisfaction), who are the most knowledgeable people regarding the religion of Allah, and who are the most knowledgeable people regarding the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
From the Arab Republic of Egypt, the brother: Muhsin Muhammad Awad Allah, asks and says: We request clarification of the issue of shortening prayer, shortening prayer while traveling. Is it established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he completed the prayer while traveling? And does the prayer of the traveler depend on distance and duration? We request clarification of this issue with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he traveled, would pray two rak'ahs: the midday prayer as two rak'ahs, the afternoon prayer as two rak'ahs, and the night prayer as two rak'ahs, until he returned from his journey. This is what is preserved from him (peace and blessings be upon him). It is also narrated from him that he would sometimes shorten and sometimes complete, but this is not preserved. What is preserved from him in the authentic hadiths is that he would shorten the prayer while traveling until he returned.
As for the sunset prayer, he would pray it as it is, three rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. Likewise, the dawn prayer, he would pray it as two rak'ahs, whether traveling or resident. He would also pray the two light rak'ahs of the pre-dawn sunnah with the dawn prayer.
As for the sunnah of the midday prayer, the sunnah of the sunset prayer, and the sunnah of the night prayer, he would leave them off while traveling (peace and blessings be upon him). The believer should do what he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do while traveling.
Travel, according to the scholars, is what reaches the distance of a day and a night, meaning: two stages. This is the position of the majority of the scholars. This is estimated at approximately eighty kilometers for one who travels by car, and likewise in airplanes, ships, and steamers. This distance and what is close to it is called travel and is considered travel in the prevailing custom among Muslims. So if a person travels on camels, on foot, in cars, in airplanes, or in sea vessels, this distance or more, then he is a traveler.
Some of the scholars said: It is defined by custom, not by the distance measured in kilometers. Rather, what is considered travel in custom is called travel, and one shortens in it; and what is not, then one does not.
The correct view is what the scholars have established, that it is defined by distance. This is what the scholars are upon. One should adhere to this, and it is what came from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and grant them satisfaction), who are the most knowledgeable people regarding the religion of Allah, and who are the most knowledgeable people regarding the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). 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.