When is combining prayers permissible and when is shortening permissible?
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The questioner : When is combining prayers permissible, and when is shortening permissible, so that one is rewarded?
The Shaykh : Shortening has only one cause, which is travel. So whenever a person is a traveler, he shortens, whether the duration is long or short. However, if he prays with an imam who completes the prayer, he must complete it. And if he is in a town, he must attend the congregation and complete the prayer.
As for combining, its cause is hardship. So whenever hardship occurs if combining is not done, combining is permissible for any of the reasons. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said that it is permissible to combine for a pregnant woman if it is difficult for her to pray every prayer in its time, and for a nursing woman if her baby urinates on her and it is difficult for her to wash her clothes for every prayer, and the like of that.
So the conclusion is that combining has one cause—yes, that is correct—which is hardship, but its forms are many. As for shortening, it is only for travel. If a person is sick in a hospital, he may combine the two prayers if it is difficult for him to pray each one separately in its time, but he does not shorten because he is in his town. However, if he is in a hospital in another town, it is permissible for him to combine and shorten because he is a traveler.
The Shaykh : Shortening has only one cause, which is travel. So whenever a person is a traveler, he shortens, whether the duration is long or short. However, if he prays with an imam who completes the prayer, he must complete it. And if he is in a town, he must attend the congregation and complete the prayer.
As for combining, its cause is hardship. So whenever hardship occurs if combining is not done, combining is permissible for any of the reasons. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said that it is permissible to combine for a pregnant woman if it is difficult for her to pray every prayer in its time, and for a nursing woman if her baby urinates on her and it is difficult for her to wash her clothes for every prayer, and the like of that.
So the conclusion is that combining has one cause—yes, that is correct—which is hardship, but its forms are many. As for shortening, it is only for travel. If a person is sick in a hospital, he may combine the two prayers if it is difficult for him to pray each one separately in its time, but he does not shorten because he is in his town. However, if he is in a hospital in another town, it is permissible for him to combine and shorten because he is a traveler.