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Fiqh Assunah

• Book title: Fiqh Assunah
• Sayyid Saabiq
• Worship And Rulings

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: The prayer of a traveler

Volume2, Page 109a: Shortening the prayers that consist of four rak'at

Allah says in the Qur'an: "And when you go forth in the land there isno sin upon you, if you shorten your prayer when you fear the disbelievers mayattack you." This concession is not limited to situations of danger.

Ya'la ibn Umaiyyah said: "I said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab: 'Explain tome why the people shorten the salah when Allah says, 'And when you goforth...[the preceding verse] and those days are gone now!' 'Umar said: 'I wonderedabout that too and I mentioned that to the Prophet and he said: "This is acharity that Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed upon you, so accept Hischarity.'" This is related by the group.

At-Tabari records that Abu Munib al-Jarshi mentioned this verse to Ibn 'Umarand said: "We are safe now and are not in fear, should we, then, shortenthe salah'?" He answered him: "You have indeed in the Messenger ofAllah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)."

The issue was also referred to 'Aishah and she said: "The salah wasmade fard in Makkah in sets of two rak'at. When the Prophet sallallahu alehiwasallam came to Medinah, two rak'at were added to each salah except themaghrib salah because it is the witr of the daytime, and the dawn prayer due toits lengthy Qur'anic recital. But if one travels, he performs the originalprayer [i.e., only two rak'at]." This is related by Ahmad, alBaihaqi, IbnHibban, and Ibn Khuzaimah. Its narrators are trustworthy.

Ibn al-Qayyim says: "The Prophet would pray only two rak'at for thoseprayers which consisted of four, whenever he traveled until he returned toMedinah. And it is not confirmed that he ever prayed four rak'at [whiletraveling], and none of the imams differ on this point, although they do differabout the ruling of shortening the salah."

'Umar, 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, ibn 'Abbas, ibn 'Umar, Jabir and the Hanafischolars say that it is fard. The Maliki school holds that it is sunnahmu'akadah (the stressed one); it is even more emphasized than thecongregational salah. If the traveler cannot find another traveler to lead himin the salah, he may pray by himself as it is disliked that he should followone who is a resident [i.e., and pray four rak'at] according to the Malikischool. The Hanbali school holds that it is preferred for the person to shortenthe prayer rather than to pray the complete salah. The Shaf'i school has asimilar opinion, if the person has traveled a sufficient distance.

Volume2, Page 110: The distance one must travel before shortening one's prayer

The conclusion from the Qur'anic verse is that any traveling, be it long orshort, which falls within the linguistic definition of the word"travel" would suffice to shorten one's salah, to combine them and tobreak the fast. There is nothing in the sunnah which confines this general termto any particular meaning. Ibn al-Munzhir and others have mentioned more thantwenty reports on this point. Here we shall mention some of the more importantreports.

Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and al-Baihaqi record that Yahya ibn Yazid said:"I asked Anas ibn Malik about shortening the prayer, and he said: 'TheMessenger of Allah would pray two rak'at if he had traveled a distance of threemiles or farsakh."' Ibn Hajar writes in Fath al-Bari: "This is themost authentic hadith which states and clarifies [that question]." Theconflict between mile and farsakh is made clear in Abu Sa'id al-Khudri'sstatement: "If the Prophet traveled a distance of one farsakh, he wouldshorten his prayer." This was related by Sa'id ibn Mansur in his Sunan andby al-Hafiz ibn Hajar in at-Talkhis, and he implicitly accepted it by notmaking any further comments about it. It is well-known that a farsakh equalsthree miles and, therefore, Abu Sa'id's hadith removes the confusion whicharises from Anas' hadith when he says that the shortest distance, due to whichthe Prophet shortened his prayer, was three miles. One farsakh is equivalent to5,541 meters while one mile equals 1,748 meters. The shortest distance whichhas been mentioned with respect to the shortening of salah is one mile. Thiswas recorded by Ibn abi Shaibah, with a sahih chain, on the authority of Ibn'Umar. Ibn Hazm follows this report, and argues that if the distance is lessthan one mile, one is not to shorten the salah, the Messenger of Allah went tothe graveyard of al-Baqi' to bury the dead and (similarly) he went off toanswer the call of nature and did not shorten his salah.

Concerning what some jurists say, namely, that the journey must be at leasttwo days long or as some say three days, Imam Abu al-Qasim alKharqi'srefutation of their opinion is sufficient for us. In al-Mughni he says: 'I donot find any proof for what those scholars say. The statements of the (sahabah)companions are contradictory, and they are not a (conclusive) proof if theydiffer. Something has been related from Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas which differsfrom what these scholars use as proof. Even if that were not the case, theirstatements do not constitute a proof when a statement or action of the Prophethimself exists. Even if their statements were accepted, we would not be able tofollow the distance they mentioned due to the following two reasons. One, theydiffer from the sunnah that has been related from the Prophet and from theclear meaning of the Qur'an, as the clear meaning of the verse allows one toshorten one's salah if one makes any journey upon the earth. Allah says:"If you journey on the earth, there is no blame upon you if you shortenyour prayer." The condition of there being fear has been deleted as can beseen in the hadith we recorded from Ya'la ibn Umayyah, and what remains is theclear meaning of the verse which covers every type of journey. The Prophetsaid: "The traveler may wipe over his socks for a period of threedays." This shows the length of time that one may wipe over the socks andit cannot be used as a proof for the question we are discussing here. One couldargue that traveling is less than a three-day journey on the basis of thehadith: "It is not allowed for any woman who believes in Allah and thelast day to travel a journey of one day, save in the presence of a malerelative." Two, the question of the distance to be traveled is one thatmay only be answered by some sort of revelation from Allah, the Exalted [theQur' an or Sunnah]; it is not the type of issue which one may address on thebasis of personal reasoning, nor is there any way to derive an analogy. Theproofs which exist support the opinion that shortening the salah is permissiblefor every traveler, unless there is some consensus to the contrary."

Similar to that is the traveling by planes, trains, and so forth, or a tripthat is in obedience to Allah, the Exalted, or otherwise. If there is someonewhose occupation requires him to always be traveling, for instance, a pilot, aship captain, truck driver, and so on, then he is permitted to shorten hissalah or break his fast as he is truly traveling.

Volume2, Page 111: Whence one may shorten one's salah

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that it is permissible toshorten one's salah when one leaves one's residence and is outside of one'scity, and that is a condition, and he is not to resume his regular salah untilhe reaches the first houses of his city.

Ibn al-Munzhir says: "I do not know of the Prophet shortening his salahduring any of his travels until after he had left Medinah."

Anas relates: "I prayed four rak'at at Zhul-Halifah." This isrelated by the group. Some of the early scholars say that if one makes theintention to travel, he may shorten his salah even if he is in his house.

Volume2, Page 112: When the traveler is to pray the complete salah

A traveler may shorten his salah as long as he is on a journey. Likewise ifhe stays in some place for business or some other affair, then he may shortenhis salah as long as he is there, even for years. If the person intends to stayin a place for a certain amount of time then, according to Ibn al-Qayyim, heremains a traveler, regardless of whether he plans to stay there for a long orshort time, as long as he does not plan to stay [i.e., reside and not return]in the place that he has traveled to. The scholars differ on this point.Summing up and giving his own opinion, Ibn al-Qayyim says: "The Messengerof Allah stayed in Tabuk for twenty days and during that time he shortened hissalah and he did not say that one may not shorten his salah if he stays longerthan that, although there is agreement that he did stay there for that periodof time."

In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Prophetstayed, during some of his journeys, for nineteen day and he prayed only tworak'at. If we stayed in a place for nineteen days, we would not pray thecomplete salah. However, if we stayed longer than that, we would perform thewhole salah." Ahmad states that ibn 'Abbas was referring to the Prophet'sstay in Makkah at the time of its conquest when he said: "The Messenger ofAllah stayed in Makkah for eighteen days during the time of the conquest as hehad to go to Hunain and was not planning to stay there." This is hisinterpretation of Ibn 'Abbas' statement. Others say that Ibn 'Abbas wasreferring to the Prophet's stay in Tabuk as Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said: "TheMessenger of Allah stayed in Tabuk for twenty days and performed qasrsalah." Imam Ahmad related this in his Musnad. Al-Miswar ibn Makhramahreports: "We stayed with Sa'd in some of the cities of ash-Sham [Syria]for forty days, and Sa'd would perform qasr while we would offer the wholesalah." Naf'i relates: "Ibn 'Umar was in Azerbaijan for six months,as there was snow blocking the pass, and he would pray two rak'at." Hafsibn 'Ubaidullah says: "Anas ibn Malik stayed in ash-Sham for two years andhe prayed the salah of a traveler." Anas relates: "The companions ofthe Prophet stayed in Ram Hurmuz for seven months and they shortened theirsalah." Al-Hassan reports: "I stayed with 'Abdurrahman ibn Samurahfor two years in Kabul, and he shortened his salah but he did not combine thesalah." Ibrahim says: "We resided in Rai for a year or more and inSijistan for two years . . . [and we prayed qasr]. This is the guidance of theProphet and his companions, and this is the correct position.

Concerning other opinions which people follow Imam Ahmad say: "If aperson intends to stay for four days, he has to offer the whole salah and hemay offer qasr if his intention is for less than that. This is based on aninterpretation of the reports from the Prophet and his companions [i.e., theynever intended to stay for longer than that and would always say: 'We willleave tomorrow,' and so on]. This interpretation is obviously suspect. TheProphet conquered Makkah and stayed there to establish Islam, eradicatepolytheism, and to guide the Arabs. It definitely goes, without saying, thatsuch an objective does take more than a day or two to complete. Similarly, hisstay in Tabuk was in preparation for the impending war and he knew that thismight take longer than just four days. In the same way, Ibn 'Umar's stay inAzerbaijan for six months, and his praying qasr during the entire time was withthe knowledge that it takes more than two or three days for such snow to meltand the pass to become traversable. The same is the case with Anas' stay of twoyears in ash-Sham and his praying qasr and the companions' stay in Ram Hurmuzfor seven months while shortening their prayers. It is well known thatactivities like theirs, such as jihad and guarding, took more than fourdays." The followers of Ahmad maintain: "If one is staying in a placefor the purpose of jihad or due to imprisonment or sickness, then one mayshorten one's salah regardless of whether the person thinks that such asituation may last for a short time or a long time." This is correct butthere is no proof that such conditions have been stipulated in the Qur'an,Sunnah, ijma' (consensus), or practice of the Prophet's companions. They arguedthat such conditions are based on what is needed for the person to fulfill hisneed while remaining a traveler, and that is what is less than four days. Hisresponse to them was: 'From where do you derive those conditions, while theProphet sallallahu alehi wasallam stayed for more than four days, shorteninghis salah, in Makkah and Tabuk, and he did not mention to anyone anything aboutit and he never told them that he never intended to stay for more than fourdays, even though he knew that the people would [strictly] follow his actionsconcerning the salah. They surely followed him in his shortening of the salah,and he did not object to their praying qasr if they were to stay for more thanfour nights. This should be made clear as it is very important. Similarly, thecompanions (as-sahabah) followed him in that and he did not say anything [inobjection] to those who prayed with him."

Malik and ash-Shaf'i say: "If one intends to stay for more than fourdays, he should perform the whole salah, and if he intends to stay for lessthan that, he is to offer qasr."

Abu Hanifah holds: "If one intends to stay for fifteen days, he shoulddo the qasr. If he intends to stay for less than that, he should not shortenthe salah." This is also the opinion of al-Laith ibn Sa'd, and it has alsobeen related from three companions: 'Umar, ibn 'Umar, and Ibn 'Abbas.

Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab is of the opinion that: "If you stay for fourdays, you pray four rak'at." A statement similar to that of Abu Hanifah'shas also been related from him. 'Ali ibn Abi Talib says that if one stays forten days, he is to perform the whole salah, and the same has been related fromIbn ' Abbas .

Al-Hassan says: "One who does not get to his destination or (city ofresidence) may shorten salah."

'Aishah says: "One who does not put down his provision is to shortenthe salah."

The four imams agree that if one has some need to take care of and alwayshas the intention of leaving the next day, then he may shorten his salah for aslong as he is in that state. However, according to one statement of ash-Shaf'i,he may do so only for seventeen or eighteen days and he is not to shorten hissalah after that time. Ibn al-Munzhir states in his Ishraf: "The people ofknowledge are in agreement that a traveler may perform qasr as long as he doesnot intend to stay in a place, even though he stays there for years."

Volume2, Page 114: Nawafli during travel

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that it is not disliked toperform nawafil during the state in which one is shortening his salah. On thispoint, there is no difference between regular sunnah prayers and other nawafl.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim record that the Prophet made the ghusl in the house ofUmm Hani on the day of the conquest of Makkah and then he prayed eight rak'at.

Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet prayed while riding in whatever directionhe was facing and nodding his head [i.e., for the movements of the salah].

Al-Hassan relates: "The companions of the Prophet while on a journeyperformed supererogatory prayers before and after the fard salah."

Ibn 'Umar and others are of the opinion that there are no nawafl, before orafter the fard salah, except for during the middle of the night. He saw somepeople praying after the salah and said: "If I were to pray, I would haveperformed the whole salah [as obviously that would have taken preference]. Onephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah [on joumeys] and he never prayedmore than two rak'at until Allah took his soul. And I accompanied Abu Bakr andhe did not pray more than two rak'at." He also mentioned the name of 'Umarand 'Uthman, then he recited the verse: "Ye have indeed in the messengerof Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)." This is related by al-Bukhari.

Ibn Qudamah combines what al-Hassan and what Ibn 'Umar say by concludingthat al-Hassan's report points to the fact that there is no harm in prayingnawafil while traveling, whereas Ibn 'Umar's report points to the fact thatthere is no harm in not praying such nawafil.

Volume2, Page 115: Traveling on a Friday

There is no harm in traveling on a Friday if it is not during the time ofthe salah.

'Umar heard a man say: "If today was not Friday, I would haveleft." 'Umar said: "Leave. Friday does not keep one fromtraveling."

Abu 'Ubaidah traveled on Friday and he did not wait for the salah.

Az-Zuhri wanted to travel before noon on Friday and the people mentionedsomething to him, and he said: "The Prophet traveled on Friday."  

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Salatul Qasr – The Traveler’s Prayer or Salatul Musafir | How to Pray

• Post author: qiratulquran
• Post category: Salatul Qasr (Traveler's Prayer)

Introduction About Salatul Qasr

Traveling can be an exciting experience, but it often disrupts our daily routines, including religious practices. For Muslims, one essential aspect of their faith is the performance of daily prayers, known as Salat. However, during a journey, the conventional method of prayer can be modified to accommodate the challenges of being on the road. In this article,  Qiratul Quran  will explore the concept of “Salatul Qasr” or “Salatul Musafir,” commonly referred to as the Traveler’s Prayer, and understand how to pray during travel while upholding the principles of Islam.

What Does Allah سبحانه وتعالى Says in the Quran

وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كَانُوا۟ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّۭا مُّبِينًۭا

Translation: When you travel through the land, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer˹especially˺ if you fear an attack by the disbelievers. Indeed, the disbelievers are your sworn enemies. (Quran Al- Nisa, V: 101)

1. Understanding Salat in Islam

Before delving into the Traveler’s Prayer, it’s essential to grasp the significance of Salat in Islam. Salat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and holds a central place in the life of a devout Muslim. It is a physical and spiritual act of worship, serving as a direct connection between the worshipper and Allah.

2. Who Qualifies as a Traveler?

To be eligible to perform the Traveler’s Prayer, one must meet certain criteria to be classified as a traveler in Islamic tradition. Generally, a traveler is someone who embarks on a journey covering a certain distance away from their hometown.

2.1 The Distance Requirement

Islamic scholars differ on the exact distance that qualifies a person as a traveler. Some consider it to be 48 miles (77 km), while others extend it to approximately 50 miles (80 km). It’s essential to consult with a knowledgeable scholar to determine the specific distance based on the prevailing opinions.

2.2 The Intention of Travel

Additionally, the intention behind the journey is crucial. If the purpose of the travel is legitimate, such as for work, education, or business, the person may be classified as a traveler.

3. The Rulings of Salatul Qasr

Salatul Qasr is a concession provided in Islam to ease the burden of prayer during travel. Instead of performing the regular four-unit (Rak’ah) prayers, a traveler shortens them to two units.

3.1 Shortening Four-Unit Prayers

The prayers that are typically shortened during travel include Dhuhr (noon prayer), Asr (afternoon prayer), and Isha (evening prayer). Maghrib (sunset prayer) and Fajr (dawn prayer) remain unaffected and are performed in full.

3.2 Combining Prayers

In addition to shortening prayers, a traveler has the option to combine Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha. This flexibility is granted to make it more convenient for the traveler.

4. How to Perform Salatul Qasr

Performing Salatul Qasr follows a similar pattern to regular prayers, but with a few adjustments:

4.1 Intention

Begin by making the intention in your heart that you are performing the shortened prayer as a traveler.

4.2 Takbir al-Ihram

Initiate the prayer by raising your hands and saying “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) to enter the state of prayer.

4.3 Al-Fatihah and Surah

Recite Al-Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Quran, followed by a short portion of any other chapter (Surah) in each Rak’ah.

4.4 Ruk’ah and Sujood

Perform the bowing (Ruk’ah) and prostration (Sujood) as you would in regular prayers.

4.5 Tashahhud and Salam

Complete the prayer with the Tashahhud (testimony of faith) and the Salam (greeting of peace) on both sides.

5. The Benefits of Salatul Qasr

The Traveler’s Prayer is a mercy granted to Muslims to ease their religious duties while traveling. It offers several benefits:

5.1 Facilitating Religious Observance

By shortening and combining prayers, a traveler can fulfill their religious obligations with ease, even while on a journey.

5.2 A Sense of Community

Performing Salatul Qasr is a reminder of the universality of Islam. It brings Muslims from diverse backgrounds together, praying side by side in mosques and prayer spaces during their travels.

Salatul Qasr, also known as Salatul Musafir or the Traveler’s Prayer, is a valuable concession provided in Islam to make religious observance feasible for travelers. By shortening and combining certain prayers, Muslims can maintain their spiritual connection while journeying to distant lands. Embracing the flexibility and wisdom of Salatul Qasr can enhance the travel experience for Muslim travelers worldwide.

1. Can a traveler choose not to perform Salatul Qasr?

Yes, Salatul Qasr is a concession, and a traveler has the option to perform the full prayers if they prefer.

2. Is Salatul Qasr obligatory for all travelers?

No, Salatul Qasr is a recommended option but not mandatory. If a traveler chooses to perform the regular prayers, it is entirely acceptable.

3. Are there any specific times when Salatul Qasr should be performed?

Salatul Qasr can be performed at any time within the duration of the respective prayer times.

4. What if a traveler returns home before completing the journey?

If a traveler returns home before completing the journey’s distance, they would no longer be considered a traveler and should resume performing regular prayers.

5. Can a woman perform Salatul Qasr during her menstrual period?

Women in their menstrual period or postnatal bleeding are exempt from performing regular prayers, including Salatul Qasr. They can resume prayers after their period ends and they perform the ritual purification (Ghusl).

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The prayer of a traveller

Shortening the prayers that consist of four rak'at Allah says in the Qur'an: "And when you go forth in the land there is no sin upon you, if you shorten your prayer when you fear the disbelievers may attack you." This concession is not limited to situations of danger. Ya'la ibn Umaiyyah said: "I said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab: 'Explain to me why the people shorten the salah when Allah says, 'And when you go forth...[the preceding verse] and those days are gone now!' 'Umar said: 'I wondered about that too and I mentioned that to the Prophet and he said: "This is a charity that Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed upon you, so accept His charity.'" This is related by the group. At-Tabari records that Abu Munib al-Jarshi mentioned this verse to Ibn 'Umar and said: "We are safe now and are not in fear, should we, then, shorten the salah'?" He answered him: "You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)." The issue was also referred to 'Aishah and she said: "The salah was made fard in Makkah in sets of two rak'at. When the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam came to Medinah, two rak'at were added to each salah except the maghrib salah because it is the witr of the daytime, and the dawn prayer due to its lengthy Qur'anic recital. But if one travels, he performs the original prayer [i.e., only two rak'at]." This is related by Ahmad, alBaihaqi, Ibn Hibban, and Ibn Khuzaimah. Its narrators are trustworthy. Ibn al-Qayyim says: "The Prophet would pray only two rak'at for those prayers which consisted of four, whenever he traveled until he returned to Medinah. And it is not confirmed that he ever prayed four rak'at [while traveling], and none of the imams differ on this point, although they do differ about the ruling of shortening the salah." 'Umar, 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, ibn 'Abbas, ibn 'Umar, Jabir and the Hanafi scholars say that it is fard. The Maliki school holds that it is sunnah mu'akadah (the stressed one); it is even more emphasized than the congregational salah. If the traveler cannot find another traveler to lead him in the salah, he may pray by himself as it is disliked that he should follow one who is a resident [i.e., and pray four rak'at] according to the Maliki school. The Hanbali school holds that it is preferred for the person to shorten the prayer rather than to pray the complete salah. The Shaf'i school has a similar opinion, if the person has traveled a sufficient distance. Volume 2, Page 110: The distance one must travel before shortening one's prayer The conclusion from the Qur'anic verse is that any traveling, be it long or short, which falls within the linguistic definition of the word "travel" would suffice to shorten one's salah, to combine them and to break the fast. There is nothing in the sunnah which confines this general term to any particular meaning. Ibn al-Munzhir and others have mentioned more than twenty reports on this point. Here we shall mention some of the more important reports. Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and al-Baihaqi record that Yahya ibn Yazid said: "I asked Anas ibn Malik about shortening the prayer, and he said: 'The Messenger of Allah would pray two rak'at if he had traveled a distance of three miles or farsakh."' Ibn Hajar writes in Fath al-Bari: "This is the most authentic hadith which states and clarifies [that question]." The conflict between mile and farsakh is made clear in Abu Sa'id al-Khudri's statement: "If the Prophet traveled a distance of one farsakh, he would shorten his prayer." This was related by Sa'id ibn Mansur in his Sunan and by al-Hafiz ibn Hajar in at-Talkhis, and he implicitly accepted it by not making any further comments about it. It is well-known that a farsakh equals three miles and, therefore, Abu Sa'id's hadith removes the confusion which arises from Anas' hadith when he says that the shortest distance, due to which the Prophet shortened his prayer, was three miles. One farsakh is equivalent to 5,541 meters while one mile equals 1,748 meters. The shortest distance which has been mentioned with respect to the shortening of salah is one mile. This was recorded by Ibn abi Shaibah, with a sahih chain, on the authority of Ibn 'Umar. Ibn Hazm follows this report, and argues that if the distance is less than one mile, one is not to shorten the salah, the Messenger of Allah went to the graveyard of al-Baqi' to bury the dead and (similarly) he went off to answer the call of nature and did not shorten his salah. Concerning what some jurists say, namely, that the journey must be at least two days long or as some say three days, Imam Abu al-Qasim alKharqi's refutation of their opinion is sufficient for us. In al-Mughni he says: 'I do not find any proof for what those scholars say. The statements of the (sahabah) companions are contradictory, and they are not a (conclusive) proof if they differ. Something has been related from Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas which differs from what these scholars use as proof. Even if that were not the case, their statements do not constitute a proof when a statement or action of the Prophet himself exists. Even if their statements were accepted, we would not be able to follow the distance they mentioned due to the following two reasons. One, they differ from the sunnah that has been related from the Prophet and from the clear meaning of the Qur'an, as the clear meaning of the verse allows one to shorten one's salah if one makes any journey upon the earth. Allah says: "If you journey on the earth, there is no blame upon you if you shorten your prayer." The condition of there being fear has been deleted as can be seen in the hadith we recorded from Ya'la ibn Umayyah, and what remains is the clear meaning of the verse which covers every type of journey. The Prophet said: "The traveler may wipe over his socks for a period of three days." This shows the length of time that one may wipe over the socks and it cannot be used as a proof for the question we are discussing here. One could argue that traveling is less than a three-day journey on the basis of the hadith: "It is not allowed for any woman who believes in Allah and the last day to travel a journey of one day, save in the presence of a male relative." Two, the question of the distance to be traveled is one that may only be answered by some sort of revelation from Allah, the Exalted [the Qur' an or Sunnah]; it is not the type of issue which one may address on the basis of personal reasoning, nor is there any way to derive an analogy. The proofs w hich exist support the opinion that shortening the salah is permissible for every traveler, unless there is some consensus to the contrary." Similar to that is the traveling by planes, trains, and so forth, or a trip that is in obedience to Allah, the Exalted, or otherwise. If there is someone whose occupation requires him to always be traveling, for instance, a pilot, a ship captain, truck driver, and so on, then he is permitted to shorten his salah or break his fast as he is truly traveling. Volume 2, Page 111: Whence one may shorten one's salah The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that it is permissible to shorten one's salah when one leaves one's residence and is outside of one's city, and that is a condition, and he is not to resume his regular salah until he reaches the first houses of his city. Ibn al-Munzhir says: "I do not know of the Prophet shortening his salah during any of his travels until after he had left Medinah." Anas relates: "I prayed four rak'at at Zhul-Halifah." This is related by the group. Some of the early scholars say that if one makes the intention to travel, he may shorten his salah even if he is in his house. Volume 2, Page 112: When the traveler is to pray the complete salah A traveler may shorten his salah as long as he is on a journey. Likewise if he stays in some place for business or some other affair, then he may shorten his salah as long as he is there, even for years. If the person intends to stay in a place for a certain amount of time then, according to Ibn al-Qayyim, he remains a traveler, regardless of whether he plans to stay there for a long or short time, as long as he does not plan to stay [i.e., reside and not return] in the place that he has traveled to. The scholars differ on this point. Summing up and giving his own opinion, Ibn al-Qayyim says: "The Messenger of Allah stayed in Tabuk for twenty days and during that time he shortened his salah and he did not say that one may not shorten his salah if he stays longer than that, although there is agreement that he did stay there for that period of time." In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Prophet stayed, during some of his journeys, for nineteen day and he prayed only two rak'at. If we stayed in a place for nineteen days, we would not pray the complete salah. However, if we stayed longer than that, we would perform the whole salah." Ahmad states that ibn 'Abbas was referring to the Prophet's stay in Makkah at the time of its conquest when he said: "The Messenger of Allah stayed in Makkah for eighteen days during the time of the conquest as he had to go to Hunain and was not planning to stay there." This is his interpretation of Ibn 'Abbas' statement. Others say that Ibn 'Abbas was referring to the Prophet's stay in Tabuk as Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah stayed in Tabuk for twenty days and performed qasr salah." Imam Ahmad related this in his Musnad. Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah reports: "We stayed with Sa'd in some of the cities of ash-Sham [Syria] for forty days, and Sa'd would perform qasr while we would offer the whole salah." Naf'i relates: "Ibn 'Umar was in Azerbaijan for six months, as there was snow blocking the pass, and he would pray two rak'at." Hafs ibn 'Ubaidullah says: "Anas ibn Malik stayed in ash-Sham for two years and he prayed the salah of a traveler." Anas relates: "The companions of the Prophet stayed in Ram Hurmuz for seven months and they shortened their salah." Al-Hassan reports: "I stayed with 'Abdurrahman ibn Samurah for two years in Kabul, and he shortened his salah but he did not combine the salah." Ibrahim says: "We resided in Rai for a year or more and in Sijistan for two years . . . [and we prayed qasr]. This is the guidance of the Prophet and his companions, and this is the correct position. Concerning other opinions which people follow Imam Ahmad say: "If a person intends to stay for four days, he has to offer the whole salah and he may offer qasr if his intention is for less than that. This is based on an interpretation of the reports from the Prophet and his companions [i.e., they never intended to stay for longer than that and would always say: 'We will leave tomorrow,' and so on]. This interpretation is obviously suspect. The Prophet conquered Makkah and stayed there to establish Islam, eradicate polytheism, and to guide the Arabs. It definitely goes, without saying, that such an objective does take more than a day or two to complete. Similarly, his stay in Tabuk was in preparation for the impending war and he knew that this might take longer than just four days. In the same way, Ibn 'Umar's stay in Azerbaijan for six months, and his praying qasr during the entire time was with the knowledge that it takes more than two or three days for such snow to melt and the pass to become traversable. The same is the case with Anas' stay of two years in ash-Sham and his praying qasr and the companions' stay in Ram Hurmuz for seven months while shortening their prayers. It is well known that activities like theirs, such as jihad and guarding, took more than four days." The followers of Ahmad maintain: "If one is staying in a place for the purpose of jihad or due to imprisonment or sickness, then one may shorten one's salah regardless of whether the person thinks that such a situation may last for a short time or a long time." This is correct but there is no proof that such conditions have been stipulated in the Qur'an, Sunnah, ijma' (consensus), or practice of the Prophet's companions. They argued that such conditions are based on what is needed for the person to fulfill his need while remaining a traveler, and that is what is less than four days. His response to them was: 'From where do you derive those conditions, while the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam stayed for more than four days, shortening his sa lah, in Makkah and Tabuk, and he did not mention to anyone anything about it and he never told them that he never intended to stay for more than four days, even though he knew that the people would [strictly] follow his actions concerning the salah. They surely followed him in his shortening of the salah, and he did not object to their praying qasr if they were to stay for more than four nights. This should be made clear as it is very important. Similarly, the companions (as-sahabah) followed him in that and he did not say anything [in objection] to those who prayed with him." Malik and ash-Shaf'i say: "If one intends to stay for more than four days, he should perform the whole salah, and if he intends to stay for less than that, he is to offer qasr." Abu Hanifah holds: "If one intends to stay for fifteen days, he should do the qasr. If he intends to stay for more than that, he should not shorten the salah." This is also the opinion of al-Laith ibn Sa'd, and it has also been related from three companions: 'Umar, ibn 'Umar, and Ibn 'Abbas. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab is of the opinion that: "If you stay for four days, you pray four rak'at." A statement similar to that of Abu Hanifah's has also been related from him. 'Ali ibn Abi Talib says that if one stays for ten days, he is to perform the whole salah, and the same has been related from Ibn ' Abbas . Al-Hassan says: "One who does not get to his destination or (city of residence) may shorten salah." 'Aishah says: "One who does not put down his provision is to shorten the salah." The four imams agree that if one has some need to take care of and always has the intention of leaving the next day, then he may shorten his salah for as long as he is in that state. However, according to one statement of ash-Shaf'i, he may do so only for seventeen or eighteen days and he is not to shorten his salah after that time. Ibn al-Munzhir states in his Ishraf: "The people of knowledge are in agreement that a traveler may perform qasr as long as he does not intend to stay in a place, even though he stays there for years." Volume 2, Page 114: Nawafli during travel The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that it is not disliked to perform nawafil during the state in which one is shortening his salah. On this point, there is no difference between regular sunnah prayers and other nawafl. Al-Bukhari and Muslim record that the Prophet made the ghusl in the house of Umm Hani on the day of the conquest of Makkah and then he prayed eight rak'at. Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet prayed while riding in whatever direction he was facing and nodding his head [i.e., for the movements of the salah]. Al-Hassan relates: "The companions of the Prophet while on a journey performed supererogatory prayers before and after the fard salah." Ibn 'Umar and others are of the opinion that there are no nawafl, before or after the fard salah, except for during the middle of the night. He saw some people praying after the salah and said: "If I were to pray, I would have performed the whole salah [as obviously that would have taken preference]. O nephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah [on joumeys] and he never prayed more than two rak'at until Allah took his soul. And I accompanied Abu Bakr and he did not pray more than two rak'at." He also mentioned the name of 'Umar and 'Uthman, then he recited the verse: "Ye have indeed in the messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)." This is related by al-Bukhari. Ibn Qudamah combines what al-Hassan and what Ibn 'Umar say by concluding that al-Hassan's report points to the fact that there is no harm in praying nawafil while traveling, whereas Ibn 'Umar's report points to the fact that there is no harm in not praying such nawafil. Volume 2, Page 115: Traveling on a Friday There is no harm in traveling on a Friday if it is not during the time of the salah. 'Umar heard a man say: "If today was not Friday, I would have left." 'Umar said: "Leave. Friday does not keep one from traveling." Abu 'Ubaidah traveled on Friday and he did not wait for the salah. Az-Zuhri wanted to travel before noon on Friday and the people mentioned something to him, and he said: "The Prophet traveled on Friday."

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Read all Ahadith in the book of prayer - travellers by sahih al muslim

(1571) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ), reported: The prayer was prescribed as two rak'ahs, two rak'ahs both in journey and at the place of residence. The prayer while travelling remained as it was (originally prescribed), but an addition was made in the prayer (observed) at the place of residence.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1571

(1572) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ), said Allah prescribed the prayer as two rak'ahs, then it was completed (to four rak'ahs) at the place of residence, but was retained in the same position in journey as it was first made obligatory.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1572

(1573) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

A'isha reported: The prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'ahs, the prayer in travelling remained the same, but the prayer at the place of residence was completed. (Zuhri said he asked 'Urwa why 'A'isha said prayer in the complete form during journey, and he replied that she interpreted the matter herself as 'Uthman did.)

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1573

(1574) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Yahya b. Umayya said: I told 'Umar b. al-Khattab that Allah had said: You may shorten the prayer only if you fear that those who are unbelievers may afflict you (Qur'an, iv. 101), whereas the people are now safe. He replied: I wondered about it in the same way as you wonder about it, so I asked the Messenger of Allah ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) about it and he said: It is an act of charity which Allah has done to you, so accept His charity.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1574

(1575) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Ya'la b. Umayya reported: I said to 'Umar b. al-Khattab, and the rest of the hadlth is the same.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1575

(1576) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: Allah has prescribed the prayer through the word of your Prophet ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) as four rak'ahs when resident, two when travelling, and one when danger is present.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1576

(1577) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Apostle ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) as two rak'ahs for the traveller, four for the resident, and one in danger.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1577

(1578) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Musa b. Salama Hudhali said: I asked Ibn 'Abbas: How should I say prayer when I am in Mecca, and when I do not pray along with the Imam? He said: Two rak'ahs (of prayer) is the Sunnah of Abu'l-Qasim ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ).

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1578

(1579) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Abu Qatada with the same chain of transmitters.

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1579

(1580) the travelers’ prayer and shortening it.

Hafs b. 'Asim said: I accompanied Ibn 'Umar on the road to Mecca and he led us in two rak'ahs at the noon prayer, then he went forward and we too went along with him to a place where he alighted, and he sat and we sat along with him, and he cast a glance to the side where he said prayer and he saw people standing and asked: What are they doing? I said: They are engaged in glorifying Allah, offering Sunnah prayer. He said: If I had done so I would have perfected my prayer; O my nephew! I accompanied the Messenger of Allah ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) on a journey, and he made no addittion to two rak'ahs, till Allah called him. I accompanied Abu Bakr and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Umar and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Uthman and he made no addition to two rak'ahs, till Allah caused him to die, and Allah has said: There is a model pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah (al-Qur'an, xxxiii. 21).

sahih al muslim 2: Chapter 7, Hadith 1580

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BOOK 2, HADITH 1838-1951

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Prayers for Travel

Duas for Muslim Travelers

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In addition to being required to pray three times daily (normally five, but exceptions are made when traveling), Allah also requires Muslims to begin other prayers, or ​duas, to keep them safe as soon as they leave their cities or towns and begin their travels. Whether before or during their travels—and whether by airplane, car, boat or other transportation—Muslims ask Allah to protect them on their journeys and get them back home safely to their families.

Invocation for Traveling

Allaahu 'Akbar, Allaahu 'Akbar, Allaahu 'Akbar, Subhaanal-lathee sakhkhara lanaa haathaa wa maa kunnaa lahu muqrineen. Wa 'innaa 'ilaa Rabbinaa lamunqaliboon. Allaahumma 'innaa nas'aluka fee safarinaa haathal-birrawattaqwaa, waminal-'amalimaa tardhaa, Allaahumma hawwin 'alaynaa safaranaa haathaa watwi 'annaa bu'dahu, Allaahumma 'Antas-saahibu fis-safari, walkhaleefatu fil-'ahli, Allaahumma 'innee 'a'oothu bika min wa'thaa'is-safari, wa ka'aabanl-mandhari, wa soo'il-munqalabi fil-maaliwal'ahli.

Allah is the Most Great. Allah is the Most Great. Allah is the Most Great. Glory is to Him Who has provided this for us though we could never have had it by our efforts. Surely, unto our Lord we are returning. O Allah, we ask You on this our journey for goodness and piety, and for works that are pleasing to You. O Allah, lighten this journey for us and make its distance easy for us. O Allah, You are our Companion on the road and the One in Whose care we leave our family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from this journey's hardships, and from the wicked sights in store and from finding our family and property in misfortune upon returning.

Prayer for the Trip

Bismi-Allahi wa al-hamdu li-Allahi. Subhana-alladhi sakh-khara la-na hadha wa ma kunna la-hu muqrinin. Wa inna ila Rabbi-na la munqalibun.

In the name of Allah, and Praise be to Allah. Glory unto Him Who created this transportation, for us, though we were unable to create it on our own. And unto our Lord we shall return.

The Departure Prayer

lla   ihlmh   ila   allmha  waḥdahs  lba  sh  ryka   lh   llhn   almlk    wlh  alnḥ  mld   whww  ʿl a  kll   shyw’r   qd   yrsh  aybṭwnn  twamb  wnḍ ʿabnd  wnr   sajadrwny  lḥr  bmnaa  ḥramdwn ṣndqa  allahl  wʿkhdyhr whndhṣhr  ʿbdh w  hzm  alaahḥlzhab  wnḥʿdwh bk mn  shrha   wshr   ahlha   wshr  ma  fyha

There is none worthy of worship besides Allah who has no partner. His is the Kingdom and to him is all praise, for He has created everything. We are those returning, repenting and obedient to Allah, performing Sajda, praising Allah, Allah has made truth (fulfilled) His promise and aided His servant and defeated the enemy armies Alone.

Prayer for Reaching the Destination

Allhm rb alsmawat alsbʿ wma aẓlln wrb alarḍyn alsbʿ wma aqlln wrb alshyaṭyn wma aḍlln wrb alryaḥ wma dhryn fina nsalk khyr hdhh alqrya wkhyr ahlha wnʿwdh bk mn shrha wshr ahlha wshr ma fyha .

O Allah, You are the Lord of the seven skies and all the things that are under these skies and the seven planets and whatever is over these and of Satan who misled and all those misled by him and for the wind and all that it blows. Thus we seek the good of this town and the good of its members (people) and seek refuge from its evil and the evil of its members, and from the evils of whatever is in it.

Prayer to Reach Home Safely

Alw bham a wbaa llrbhanwa tdwhb ab lsha yyghaadr ʿllnyana ḥw bwal h alnḥ mld whww ʿl a kll shyw’r qd yrsh aybṭwnn twamb wnḍ ʿabnd wnr sajadrwny lḥr bmnaa ḥramdwn ṣndqa allahl wʿkhdyhr whndhṣhr ʿbdh w hzm alaahḥlzhab  wnḥʿdwh bk mn shrha wshr ahlha wshr ma fyha.

I have come back, I have come back, I seek forgiveness from Allah with such a repentance that leaves me with no sin.

Prayer Upon Returning Home

Aa'iboona, taa'iboona, 'aabidoona, Lirabbinaa haamidoon.

We return repentant to our Lord, worshipping our Lord, and praising our Lord.

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Lesson The Prayer of the Traveler and the Sick

Islam is a religion of ease that removes hardship, which includes easing some of the rulings of prayer in case of sickness and travel. In this lesson, you will learn about the rulings on the prayer for the traveler and those who are sick.

• Learn the rulings of the traveler's prayer
• Learn the rulings of the prayer for the sick

41,442 other students completed this lesson

Prayer is obligatory for a Muslim in all circumstances as long as they are sane and conscious. However, Islam does account for conditions and needs of people, including sickness and travel.

What is recommended for a traveler with regards to prayer?

It is recommended for the traveler -while moving or staying for a period of less than four days- to shorten the four-rak’ah (unit) prayer to two. As a result, a traveler prays the Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha prayers as two rak’ahs instead of four, unless praying behind an imam who is a resident, in which case he follows him in his prayers and prays four rak’ahs like him.

It is prescribed for the traveler to leave the accompanying sunnah (recommended) prayers, except for the 2-rak'ah sunnah prayer of Fajr. Moreover, a travel should maintain the Witr prayer and the night prayer.

A travel is permitted to combine Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers, as well as Maghrib and 'Isha prayers during one of their respective times, especially if they are moving around, as a relief and mercy from Allah and to remove any hardship.

Prayer of the Sick

The condition of standing during prayer is waived for a sick person who cannot stand, or if standing is difficult, or if it will prolong their treatment. In these cases, they may pray sitting, and if they are unable to sit, they may pray lying on their side. The Prophet ﷺ said: «Pray standing, and if you can't, then sitting, and if you can't, then lying down» (Al-Bukhari 1117).

Special Rulings Pertaining to Prayer of the Sick

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Prayers of The Travelers

How to pray while traveling how do you pray salah when traveling, i. being on a journey.

As a religious term, “being on a safar (journey,)” means travelling to a place a certain distance away. The required length of the journey is equal to what a loaded camel caravan can cover in two days, which is about 90 kilometers. Neither a person who travels to a place less than 90 km away from his residence, nor the one who does not intend to go to such a distance when getting out of his residence, even if he travels more than 90 km, is considered “a safari (traveler)” according to Islamic law.

The journey begins when the traveler reaches a place in which he would, by commonly accepted standards, be considered a traveler. For someone residing in a settlement composed of constructed dwellings, his journey is deemed to begin when he goes beyond a wall connected to the place from where he is traveling, as long as the wall is located on the side of the settlement from where he intends to travel. If there is not a wall, what matters is for the person to pass out of the inhabited, built-up residential area. Today, the official borders of the districts in big metropolitan cities, entrances of airports and highways are accepted as the beginning points of a safar (journey). When the person gets back to the beginning point of his travel, his journey ends.

The person who is not on a journey is called “ muqim (resident) ” in Islamic terminology. If the person who is on a journey consciously intends to stay in his destination place for four complete days, not including the day he arrives and the day he departs, he becomes a resident in his destination as soon as he arrives and he will no longer be considered as a traveler.

It is not appropriate to set out on a journey on Friday morning after dawn before the Friday prayer since there is an apprehension in missing the Friday prayer. However, if there is a possibility to catch the Friday prayer at a place during the journey, then it becomes permissible to set out on a journey before the Friday prayer. If a person sets out on a journey on Friday morning due to necessity and cannot find a place to perform the Friday prayer on the way, then it becomes obligatory upon him to perform the Noon prayer.

II. Facilities Provided When Being on a Journey

Islam has taken into consideration the hardship and problems that one may face during a journey and established some special facilities for the travelers. So much so that:

• The person who is on a journey may continue to wipe his sock (khuff) for three days.
• The person who is on a journey may shorten the four-cycle obligatory prayers to two cycles. This is called “qasr al-salah”. The three cycle obligatory Evening prayer and Witr prayer are performed as they are without shortening.
• The person who is on a journey may combine two prayers, which is called “jam’ al-salatayn”. One may combine the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers or the Evening and the Night prayers and perform them in the time of either one of the prayers. For example one may combine the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers either in the time of the Noon prayer (which is called jam’ al-taqdim) or in the time of the Late Afternoon prayer (which is called jam’ al-ta’khir.)
• The person who is on a journey may perform supererogatory prayers on his/her mount or vehicle. The person who travels on a mount, bus, or plane etc. performs the prayers on his/her seat towards the direction that his/her ride is traversing. If it is possible, it is recommended to perform the Sunnah muakkadah prayers during a journey. If it is not possible or the ride cannot wait, then it is permissible not to perform them.
• The person who is on a journey in the month of Ramadan has been given the allowance not to fast and postpone the fasting for after the month of Ramadan. However, it is obligatory to make those missed days up after the month of Ramadan.

In order to benefit from the above-mentioned facilities, the journey must be for a religiously lawful purpose. All schools of Islamic law except Hanafis argue that if a person sets out on a journey for an unlawful purpose such as to kill someone, to steal, to oppress people, and for a woman to set out on a journey without her husband’s permission, that person is not allowed to benefit from the concessionary rules of being on a journey. This is because being on a journey is the cause of benefiting from such concessionary rules, whereas without her husband’s permission a woman is not allowed to benefit from these concessionary rules and also that such rules cannot be used as the basis for committing sins.

III. The Rulings Regarding Shortening the Prayers on a Journey

If a traveler fulfills all the other necessary conditions, he/she is allowed to perform the four cycle-obligatory prayers, i.e. Noon, Late Afternoon, and Night prayers, by shortening them to two cycles. However, if he/she wants, he/she can perform them to completion. (According to Hanafi School, it is strongly reprehensible (makruh tahriman – reprehensible close to haram) to perform them to completion.)

The Shafiis also hold that if a traveler postpones the prayer so close to the end of its designated time period that there is only enough time left to perform two cycles, he must shorten his prayer, and it is not permissible for him to pray the prayer to completion.

If a person misses a four-cycle prayer during a journey, he can make it up as shortened when he is still on the journey. However, after he comes back from the journey, he is not allowed to shorten them.

The sufficient distance for the permissibility of shortening prayers is two stages (two camping distance – 90 km). if the length of the journey is three or more ‘stages’ [135 km or more], it is considered preferable to shorten one’s prayers. If the traveler is a sailor, it is preferable for them to pray all their prayers to completion even if the length of their journey exceeds three “stages.”

The one who sets out on a journey cannot shorten the prayers before leaving the residential area like the buildings, gardens, fields, and cemeteries of the place where he resides. If one who lives in a port city sets out on a journey by sea, he can begin shortening prayers as soon as his ship leaves the port.

The legality of shortening the prayers during a journey and in cases of fear is based on the verses of the Qur’an, Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and the consensus of the Muslim scholars. In this regard, it is stated in the Qur’an, “ When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear that the Unbelievers may attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies.” (al-Nisa, 4: 101)

It is more appropriate to shorten (qasr) the prayers during a journey even if there is no fear. The Companion Ya’la b. Umayya said, “I told ‘Umar b. al-Khattab that Allah says: “You may shorten the prayer only if you fear that those who are unbelievers may afflict you” (al-Nisa, 4: 101), whereas the people are now safe. He replied: I pondered about it in the same way as you are pondering about it, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about it and he said: “It is an act of charity which Allah has done for you, so accept His charity.” [1]

In addition ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said, “When I accompanied the Prophet on a journey, he would only pray two rak’ahs. This was likewise the practice of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman.” [2]

The following conditions are required for the validity of shortening the prayers :

• The person should go at least 90 km away from the place where he resides. If one has two routes to choose, one of which is shorter and the other is longer than 90 km, and if he prefers the route that is longer, but comfortable and safer, he can shorten his prayers.
• One should intend to undertake a journey at the moment of setting out on it. One who does not know where and which direction to go or who sets out to a journey to look for a debtor or something similar, whose location is not known, cannot shorten his prayers. In like manner, one who intends to go a certain required journey distance, but does not complete the distance or one who intends to stay in his destination for more than four days, excluding the departure and arrival days, cannot shorten his prayers.

If the person who sets out on a journey has doubts whether or not he has made intention at the beginning of his journey or one who has doubts whether he has left his residence city needs to perform his prayers to the completion.

If a traveler intends to leave the place he is visiting within the specified time, but postpones it day by day due to his business responsibilities, he may shorten his prayers for as long as eighteen days, excluding the days of departure and arrival. However, if the traveler knows for certain that his business will take more than four days, then he cannot shorten his prayers.

• The prayer, which will be shortened by the traveler, must be a four-cycle obligatory prayer and the traveler must intend to shorten it.
• The traveler must not follow a resident imam in a congregational prayer. If he follows a resident imam, then he must perform the prayer to the completion even if he catches the congregation in the last testification of faith (final sitting).

It is permitted for a resident to follow an imam who is a traveler. In such cases, the resident person must complete the prayer after the imam completes the prayer in the shortened form.

• The traveler must be free in his decisions. In cases that the travelling person is subject to the decisions of another person, such as a wife to her husband, a soldier to his commander, a servant to his master, and a student to his teacher, one cannot shorten the prayers. This is because in such cases one cannot act freely.
• The traveler must intend to stay in his destinations less than four days excluding the days of departure and arrival.
• The state of being on a journey should continue from beginning to the end of prayer. If the ship of a person, which is traveling by sea, arrives at his residence and the person on it is performing his prayers in shortened form, then he is obligated to perform his prayers to completion.

IV. Combining the Prayers (Jam’i Taqdim and Jam’i Ta’khir )

Allah Almighty commanded us to perform prayers in their prescribed times: “…For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times” (al-Nisa, 4: 103). However, Islam permits the combinations of some obligatory prayers, and the facility to perform them outside their standard times under certain circumstances in order to remove hardships.

Combining the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers in the time of the Noon prayer or combining the Evening and Night prayers in the time of the Evening prayer is called “jam’ al-taqdim”. Combining the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers in the time of the Late Afternoon prayer or combining the Evening and the Night prayers in the time of the Night prayer is called “jam’ al-ta’khir”. The Dawn prayer cannot be combined with any other prayer.

Pilgrims perform the Noon and the Late afternoon prayers in time of the Noon prayer as jam’  taqdim in the plain of Arafat; and the Evening and the Night prayers in the time of the Night prayer as jam’ ta’khir in Muzdalifa. All schools of Islamic law have consensus on combining the prayers during this period of pilgrimage.

Ibn Mas’ud (r.a.) said, “I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) observing a prayer other than in its appointed time except combining the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers in Arafat and combining the Evening and the Night prayers in Muzdalifa.” [3]

Based on this hadīth, the Hanafi School does not deem it permissible to combine prayers except in Arafat and Muzdalifa during the pilgrimage. According to them, the examples of combining prayers in times of travel and hardship were a combination of prayers only in appearance ( jam’ suri ), which took place in fact as performing one prayer at the end of its prescribed time and the next one at the beginning of its prescribed time. The hadīth presented as a proof in this regard reads as follows,

“Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) started the journey before noon, he used to delay the Zuhr prayer till the time for the ‘Asr prayer and then he would dismount and pray them together; and whenever the sun declined before he started the journey he used to offer the Zuhr prayer and then ride (for the journey).” [4]

According to majority of the schools of Islamic law (Maliki, Shafii and Hanbali Schools), during a journey, performing every prayer in its designated times is preferable, but it is also permissible to combine two consecutive prayers either in the time of the first one or in the time of the second.  Abdullah b. Abbas (may Allah be pleased both of them) said, “Together with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), I performed eight cycles of prayer by combining the Noon and the Late afternoon prayers and seven cycles by combining the Evening and the Night prayers.” [5] “When he was on a journey, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would combine the Noon and the Late afternoon prayers. He would also combine the Evening and the Night prayers.” [6]

The Conditions of Jam’ al-Taqdim and Jam’ al-Ta’khir :

There are six conditions for the permissibility of combining prayers in the time of the first prayer (jam’ al-taqdim) during a journey:

• Intention, one should make an intention to perform two consecutive prayers by combining them. For example, if a person is thinking to combine the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers during the time of the Noon prayer then he must make his intention to perform the Late Afternoon prayer right after the Noon prayer. It is a requirement for the person to make this intention by heart while performing the first prayer. One may also express his intention in various ways, for example:

For the Noon prayer: I intend to perform the Noon prayer for the sake of Allah by shortening it to two cycles and combining it with the Late Afternoon prayer.

For the Late Afternoon prayer: I intend to perform the Late Afternoon prayer for the sake of Allah by shortening it to two cycles and combining it with the Noon prayer during the time of the Noon prayer.

For the Evening prayer: I intend to perform the Evening prayer as three cycles and combine it with the Night prayer.

For the Night prayer: I intend to perform the Night prayer by shortening it to two cycles and combine it with the Evening prayer during the time of the Evening prayer.

• Following the order (tartib). If one intends to combine the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers, he should first perform the Noon prayer; or if he intends to combine the Evening and the Night prayers, he should first perform the Evening prayer.
• Muwalaat, which means to perform two consecutive prayers successively without giving a certain amount of time between them. The time break between the two prayers cannot be more than a period long enough to perform a two-cycle prayer. It is not permissible to perform a Sunnah / supererogatory prayer between them. If one gives a break between the two prayers, even if it is for a valid excuse such as losing consciousness or making a mistake, the combining prayers becomes invalid and it becomes obligatory to perform the second prayer in its prescribed time. However, a short time break such as a call for prayer, call for commencement of a prayer, or performing the minor ablution etc. does not make the jam’ invalid. In fact, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) recited call for the commencement of prayer (iqama) between two prayers when he combined the prayers in the place called Namira.
• The state of travel should continue. The state of being on a journey should continue at least until the beginning takbir of the second prayer. If the state of being on a journey ends before the beginning of the second prayer, performing the second prayer by combining it to the first one does not become valid.
• The time of the first prayer should continue. One must be sure that the time of the first prayer will not end.
• The first prayer should be validly performed. For example, if the first one is Friday prayer, if it is performed in more than one mosque without a necessity, and if it is not known for sure in which mosque it was performed first, it is not valid to combine it with the Late Afternoon prayer.

There are two conditions for the permissibility of combining prayers in the time of the second prayer (jam’ al-ta’khir) during a journey:

• To make the intention in the time of first prayer to combine the two consecutive prayers in the time of the second prayer (jam’ al-ta’khir).
• The state of being on a journey should continue until the end of the times of the two combined prayers. If the state of being on a journey does not continue until the end of the combined prayers and ends earlier, the combined prayers becomes invalid and the first prayer needs to be made up.

Tartib and muwalat in the case of jam’ al-ta’khir is not obligatory, but a Sunnah.

According to the Shafii School, it is permissible to combine prayers due to heavy rain. This is based upon the following hadīth, “Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) combined the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers, and the Evening and the Night prayers in Medina without being in a state of fear, nor due to journey.” In regards to this hadīth, Imam Malik said, “I think this happened on a rainy day.” [7]

If the Noon and the Late Afternoon prayers or the Evening and the Night prayers are to be combined due to rain, they can be combined in the time the first prayers (jam al-taqdim).

It is permissible, on account of rain, for a person who is ‘resident’ in a place to combine the prayers as one would while traveling, including the combination of the Friday congregational prayer with the Late Afternoon prayer during the time period for the Friday prayer; this ruling applies even if the rain is light enough that it only wets the top of one’s garment or the soles of one’s shoes, and the same applies to snow or hail, even if it melting.

However, the person who is ‘resident’ may only engage in this practice given the following conditions:

• The worshiper must consciously have intended to combine the two prayers.
• The original order (tartib) between the two prayers must be maintained.
• One should observe muwalat between the two prayers, which means there must be continuity between the two prayers.
• The rain, hail, or snow must be present when the worshiper utters the beginning takbirs (takbirat al-ihram) for both prayers and when he utters the final greeting of peace for the first prayer. However, it does no harm the combined prayers if the rain stops during the first or the second prayer, or after they are both concluded.
• The imam must consciously intend both to lead others in prayer and to pray in an community. The second prayer must be performed in community, even if this includes only the utterance of the beginning takbir. However, it is not required that the community remain present until the end of the second prayer based on the best-attested view, even if the worshiper parts with the group and begins praying on his own before completing its first rak’ah.
• The prayer must be combined in a mosque or some other site set aside for prayer, which is far enough away by commonly accepted standards that it would cause hardship for people to get there.

Moreover, based on the most widely prevalent view, the reasons for why someone who is ‘resident’ may combine prayers does not include intense darkness, fear of wind, mud or illness, although there are well-attested arguments in favor of the view that it is permissible to combine prayers (both during the time period for the second prayer and during the time period for the first prayer) on account of illness.

[1] Muslim, Musafirin, 4; Ahmad, al-Musnad, 1/25 [2] Muslim, Musafirin, 10. [3] Al-Bukhari, ‘Hajj’, 99; Muslim, ‘Hajj’, 292; Abu Dawud, ‘Manasik’, 65 [4] Al-Bukhari, Taqsir al-Salat, 15, 16; Muslim, Musafirin, 46; Abu Dawud, Salat, 274; al-Nasai, Mawaqit, 42 [5] Al-Bukhari 1118, 1174, Muslim 705/55, al-Nasai 603 [6] Al-Bukhari, Taqsir al-Salat, 13 [7] Muwatta, ‘Qasr al-Salat,’ 4; Muslim, ‘Musafirin’, 49

Source : Fiqh1 (According To The Shafi’i School Of Islamic Law), Erkam Publications

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Home » Hanafi Fiqh » FatwaCentre.org » Sunnah prayers while travelling

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Sunnah prayers while travelling

Asalamualikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh I would like to ask about travel prayers. I understand that you must shorten the obligatory prayer, according to hanafi fiqh it is wajib. what is the ruling regarding the Sunnah’s prayers during travelling.

Please can you also confirm the exact distance to be a considered a traveller.

Please can you also confirm if the following rules are true or not: 1) I have recently heard that if a traveller is able to perform the Sunnah prayers with no inconvenience to them, they should read them? 2)The sunnah of fajr salah should not be left out? If this is true and one does leave it out, would you have to do qadha for this salah, even though it is a sunnah?

Jazakallahu Khayr

In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth

The minimum distance of journey for a person to be deemed a traveller is 48 miles. When a person leaves their home city with an intention to travel this distance or further, they will be a considered a legal traveller, and thus it will be mandatory wajib for them to shorten their fard (obligatory) prayers as a concession.

The sunnah and witr prayers will not be shortened. There are different opinions found in Hanafi texts on whether a traveller is required to offer their sunnah prayers or not. The preferred view is that if they are safe and settled at a destination in their journey, they should maintain the sunnah prayers.

Nevertheless, it should however be noted that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) would not miss the sunnah of fajr and maghrib , even during his travels. Both these sunnah prayers have been strongly emphasised, and even more the sunnah of fajr . If a person misses their fajr , it is better for them to make up for both the sunnah and fard rak’ats before zawwal (i.e., when the sun begins to decline from its zenith). After this time, there is no qada (make up) for the sunnah of fajr .

And Allah knows best.

العرف الشذي شرح سنن الترمذي (2/ 49) مسافة القصر عند الشافعي وأحمد ثمانية وأربعون ميلاً، وعندنا مسيرة ثلاثة أيام بسير وسط، وفي الهداية عن أبي حنيفة قدر ثلاثة مراحل. . الخ، والفرق بين الأول والثاني أن في الأول اعتبار سير المسافر، وفي الثاني اعتبار المسير والمسافة، وأقوال الأحناف في مسافة القصر كثيرة، ذكرها في البحر، والأقوال من ستة عشر فرسخاً إلى اثنين وعشرين فرسخاً، وفي قول ثمانية وأربعون ميلاً، وهو المختار لأنه موافق لأحمد والشافعي. وأما الميل ففي النووي شرح مسلم ص (241) : إن الميل الهاشمي ستة آلاف ذراع، والذراع أربعة وعشرون أصبعاً معترضة معتدلة، والأصبع ستة شعيرات معترضات معتدلات.

والفرسخ ثلاثة أميال، ف القول الثالث [٤٥ ميل شرعي، الذي أفتى به أكثر أئمة خوارزم] قريب من القول بأربعة برد وهي ستة عشر فرسخا (٤٨ ميل شرعي)، كما هو مذهب مالك وغيره. وقد روى البخاري تعليقا في صحيحه والبيهقي إسنادا عن عطاء بن أبي رباح أن ابن عمر وابن عباس كانا يصليان ركعتين ويفطران في أربعة برد. قال أبو عمر بن عبد البر: هذا عن ابن عباس معروف من نقل الثقات، متصل الإسناد عنه من وجوه، وقد اختلف عن ابن عمر في تحديد ذلك اختلافا كثيرا، وأصح ما روي عن ما رواه ابنه سالم ونافع أنه لا يقصر إلا فى اليوم التام أربعة برد. ا ه. قلت: وهذا هو المختار عند شيوخنا، وقد أفتى به مولانا الشيخ رشيد أحمد الجنجوهي قدس الله روحه . (فتح الملهم، دار إحياء التراث العربي، ج٤ ص٣٩٤-٥) وهو قول الشاه ولي الله الدهلوي أيضا كما نقله عنه في فتح الملهم في نفس الصفحة

Ahsan al-Fatawa , 3/91-106, H M Saeed ed.

تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق وحاشية الشلبي (1/ 211) وفي المحيط اختلف في السنن ولا قصر فيها بالاتفاق؛ لأنه شرع تخفيفا، وهو في الفرائض بل هو مخير بين الفعل والترك فقيل: الترك أفضل ترخصا وقد روي عن أبي بكر وغيره من الصحابة تركها وقيل الفعل أفضل تقربا وقال الهندواني حال النزول الفعل أفضل وحال السير الترك أفضل وقيل: يصلي سنة الفجر لقوتها وقيل سنة المغرب أيضا، وفي المبسوط لا بأس بترك السنن، وهذا يدل على أن الفعل أفضل وتأويل ما روي عن بعض الصحابة أنه حال السير على وجه لا يمكنه المكث لأدائها،

البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (2/ 141) واختلفوا في ترك السنن في السفر فقيل: الأفضل هو الترك ترخيصا وقيل الفعل تقربا وقال الهندواني: الفعل حال النزول والترك حال السير، وقيل يصلي سنة الفجر خاصة، وقيل سنة المغرب أيضا، وفي التجنيس والمختار أنه إن كان حال أمن وقرار يأتي بها؛ لأنها شرعت مكملات والمسافر إليه محتاج، وإن كان حال خوف لا يأتي بها؛ لأنه ترك بعذر اهـ.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 123) (صَلَّى الْفَرْضَ الرُّبَاعِيَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ) وُجُوبًا (قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى الْفَرْضَ الرُّبَاعِيَّ) خَبَرُ مَنْ فِي قَوْلِهِ مَنْ خَرَجَ، وَاحْتَرَزَ بِالْفَرْضِ عَنْ السُّنَنِ وَالْوِتْرِ وَبِالرُّبَاعِيِّ عَنْ الْفَجْرِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ. (قَوْلُهُ وُجُوبًا) فَيُكْرَهُ الْإِتْمَامُ عِنْدَنَا حَتَّى رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: مَنْ أَتَمَّ الصَّلَاةَ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ وَخَالَفَ السُّنَّةَ شَرْحُ الْمُنْيَةِ، وَفِيهِ تَفْصِيلٌ سَيَأْتِي فَافْهَمْ

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 131) (وَيَأْتِي) الْمُسَافِرُ (بِالسُّنَنِ) إنْ كَانَ (فِي حَالَ أَمْنٍ وَقَرَارٍ وَإِلَّا) بِأَنْ كَانَ فِي خَوْفٍ وَفِرَارٍ (لَا) يَأْتِي بِهَا هُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ لِأَنَّهُ تَرْكٌ لِعُذْرٍ تَجْنِيسٌ، قِيلَ إلَّا سُنَّةَ الْفَجْرِ

(قَوْلُهُ وَيَأْتِي الْمُسَافِرُ بِالسُّنَنِ) أَيْ الرَّوَاتِبِ، وَلَمْ يَتَعَرَّضْ لِلْقِرَاءَةِ لِذِكْرِهِ لَهَا فِي فَصْلِ الْقِرَاءَةِ حَيْثُ قَالَ فِي الْمَتْنِ: وَيُسَنُّ فِي السَّفَرِ مُطْلَقًا الْفَاتِحَةُ وَأَيُّ سُورَةٍ شَاءَ، وَتَقَدَّمَ أَنَّهُ فَرَّقَ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ بَيْنَ حَالَةِ الْقَرَارِ وَالْفِرَارِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ الْكَلَامُ فِيهِ وَقَالَ فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة وَيُخَفِّفُ الْقِرَاءَةَ فِي السَّفَرِ فِي الصَّلَوَاتِ فَقَدْ صَحَّ ” أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَرَأَ فِي الْفَجْرِ فِي السَّفَرِ الْكَافِرُونَ وَالْإِخْلَاصَ ” وَأَطْوَلُ الصَّلَاةِ قِرَاءَةُ الْفَجْرِ وَأَمَّا التَّسْبِيحَاتُ فَلَا يُنْقِصُهَا عَنْ الثَّلَاثِ. اهـ.

(قَوْلُهُ هُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ) وَقِيلَ الْأَفْضَلُ التَّرْكُ تَرْخِيصًا، وَقِيلَ الْفِعْلُ تَقَرُّبًا. وَقَالَ الْهِنْدُوَانِيُّ: الْفِعْلُ حَالَ النُّزُولِ وَالتَّرْكُ حَالَ السَّيْرِ، وَقِيلَ يُصَلِّي سُنَّةَ الْفَجْرِ خَاصَّةً، وَقِيلَ سُنَّةَ الْمَغْرِبِ أَيْضًا بَحْرٌ قَالَ فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْيَةِ وَالْأَعْدَلُ مَا قَالَهُ الْهِنْدُوَانِيُّ. اهـ . قُلْت: وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ مَا فِي الْمَتْنِ هُوَ هَذَا وَأَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِالْأَمْنِ وَالْقَرَارِ النُّزُولُ وَبِالْخَوْفِ وَالْفِرَارِ السَّيْرُ لَكِنْ قَدَّمْنَا فِي فَصْلِ الْقِرَاءَةِ أَنَّهُ عَبَّرَ عَنْ الْفِرَارِ بِالْعَجَلَةِ لِأَنَّهَا فِي السَّفَرِ تَكُونُ غَالِبًا مِنْ الْخَوْفِ تَأَمَّلْ

النتف في الفتاوى للسغدي (1/ 111) قَالَ وَلَا بَأْس بِأَن لَا يفعل هَذِه السّنَن فِي السفن قبل الصَّلَاة وَلَا بعْدهَا مَا خلا رَكْعَتي الْفجْر والركعتين بعد الْمغرب لانه رُوِيَ عَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم انه كَانَ لَا يدع ذَلِك فِي سفر وَلَا حضر

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 14) (وَ) السُّنَنُ (آكَدُهَا سُنَّةُ الْفَجْرِ) اتِّفَاقًا، ثُمَّ الْأَرْبَعُ قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ فِي الْأَصَحِّ، لِحَدِيثِ «مَنْ تَرَكَهَا لَمْ تَنَلْهُ شَفَاعَتِي» ثُمَّ الْكُلُّ سَوَاءٌ (وَقِيلَ بِوُجُوبِهَا، فَلَا تَجُوزُ صَلَاتُهَا قَاعِدًا) وَلَا رَاكِبًا اتِّفَاقًا (بِلَا عُذْرٍ) عَلَى الْأَصَحِّ،

(قَوْلُهُ آكَدُهَا سُنَّةُ الْفَجْرِ) لِمَا فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا – «لَمْ يَكُنْ النَّبِيُّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْ النَّوَافِلِ أَشَدَّ تَعَاهُدًا مِنْهُ عَلَى رَكْعَتَيْ الْفَجْرِ» وَفِي مُسْلِمٍ «رَكْعَتَا الْفَجْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا» وَفِي أَبِي دَاوُد «لَا تَدَعُوا رَكْعَتَيْ الْفَجْرِ وَلَوْ طَرَدَتْكُمْ الْخَيْلُ» بَحْرٌ.

(قَوْلُهُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ) اسْتَحْسَنَهُ فِي الْفَتْحِ فَقَالَ : ثُمَّ اُخْتُلِفَ فِي الْأَفْضَلِ بَعْدَ رَكْعَتَيْ الْفَجْرِ. قَالَ الْحَلْوَانِيُّ: «رَكْعَتَا الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِنَّهُ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – لَمْ يَدَعْهُمَا سَفَرًا وَلَا حَضَرًا» …

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 15) وَلَا يَجُوزُ تَرْكُهَا لِعَالِمٍ صَارَ مَرْجِعًا فِي الْفَتَاوَى (بِخِلَافِ بَاقِي السُّنَنِ) فَلَهُ تَرْكُهَا لِحَاجَةِ النَّاسِ إلَى فَتْوَاهُ (وَيُخْشَى الْكُفْرُ عَلَى مُنْكِرِهَا وَتُقْضَى) إذَا فَاتَتْ مَعَهُ، بِخِلَافِ الْبَاقِي.

(قَوْلُهُ وَتُقْضَى) أَيْ إلَى قُبَيْلِ الزَّوَالِ، وَقَوْلُهُ مَعَهُ تُنَازِعُهُ قَوْلُهُ تُقْضَى وَفَاتَتْ فَلَا تُقْضَى إلَّا مَعَهُ حَيْثُ فَاتَ وَقْتُهَا؛ أَمَّا إذَا فَاتَتْ وَحْدَهَا فَلَا تُقْضَى، وَلَا تُقْضَى قَبْلَ الطُّلُوعِ وَلَا بَعْدَ الزَّوَالِ وَلَوْ تَبَعًا عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ أَفَادَهُ ح

Answered by: Bint Saeed

Checked & Approved by: Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera Mufti Zubair Patel

This answer was collected from FatwaCentre.org, which is overseen by Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera.

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What Are the Basic Rulings of Prayer During Travel?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

My university is some 95 miles from my home address and I stay there five nights a week and return home for two. When not at university, I attend an unpaid placement some 200 miles from my home address and approximately 125 miles from the university. I usually stay here between 14 and 28 days at a time.

According to the Hanafi school of thought, do I qualify for the conditions of travel (safar) whilst at university and on placement and how do I correctly fulfill these?

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

According to the Hanafi school, the conditions of being deemed a traveler are to:

(a) go to a place at least (roughly) 48mi (77km) from one’s home, and

(b) stay there for less than 15 days.

Hence, you do meet the conditions of travel when you are at university. You also meet those conditions when you are on placement as long as you stay there for less than 15 days at a time. If you stay there for 15 days or longer, you are legally a resident there.

When one is a traveler, it is mandatory (wajib) to shorten the obligatory four-rakat prayers (zuhr, ‘asr and ‘isha) to two rakats. One still prays the sunna prayers though, unless in the midst of a journey and in the rush of travel.

If one is a traveler during the month of Ramadan, then fasting is optional, although it is superior to do so if it does not pose undue hardship. Of course if one does not fast, it is obligatory to make up the missed days. [Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity; Maraqi Falah]

This is merely a quick summary; for more details on the rulings related to travel, it would be strongly advised to take a basic course such as: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Beliefs & Worship

Related Answers:

• When Is a Person Considered a Traveler Who Can Shorten Their Prayers?
• Shortening Prayers when Traveling for Leisure?
• A Real Life Case Study of When to Shorten Prayers and Refrain from Fasting When Traveling
• Should I Feel Bad for Not Fasting When I Had to Travel?
• Are We Supposed to Pray Sunna and Witr Prayers When Traveling?

And Allah knows best. wassalam, [Shaykh] Faraz A. Khan Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz A. Khan has lived in Amman, Jordan, for several years studying and teaching traditional Islamic sciences, with a focus on Hanafi jurisprudence, hadith studies, theology, logic, and Arabic grammar. He translated and annotated the classical Hanafi primer “Ascent to Felicity” (Maraqi ‘l-Sa`adat) by Imam Shurunbulali, recently published by White Thread Press.

Related Posts

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Is Shortening Prayers while Travelling Sunnah?

Publication : 08-10-2013

Views : 153938

Is it permissible for a traveller to offer the prayers in full and pray them with four `s?

Summary of answer

Praise be to Allah.

Shortening the prayers when travelling is a confirmed Sunnah that one should not forsake, according to the consensus of the imams (leading scholars), apart from what is narrated from Ash-Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on him) in one of his two opinions, that offering the prayers in full is preferable. However the correct view in his Madhhab is that shortening the prayers is preferable. (See: Al-Majmu` by An-Nawawi, 4/218-223) 

The view that shortening the prayers is preferable is supported by the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) shortened the prayers in all of his journeys, and there is no authentic report to indicate that he ever offered the prayer in full when he was travelling. 

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We went out with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) from Madinah to Makkah, and he offered his prayers with two Rak`ahs every time until we returned to Madinah.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1081 and Muslim, 724) 

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and during the journey he did not pray more than two Rak`ahs (in any prayer), and Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) did likewise.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1102 and Muslim, 689) 

This refers to the beginning of ‘Uthman’s caliphate; at the end of his caliphate, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer the prayers in full (when travelling). 

When ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) was offering the prayers with four Rak`ahs in Mina, he said: Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`un (Verily to Allah we belong and verily to Him is our return). I prayed two Rak`ahs with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Mina, and I prayed two Rak`ahs with Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq in Mina, and I prayed two Rak`ahs with ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab in Mina.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1084 and Muslim, 695) 

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“It is disliked to offer the prayers in full when travelling. Ahmad said: I do not like it. It was narrated from Ahmad that he would not comment on whether offering four Rak`ahs would be valid. There is no sound report to indicate that any of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray with four Rak`ahs when travelling at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Hadith narrated from `Aishah that suggests something to the contrary cannot be taken as evidence.” (Al-Ikhtiyarat, p. 32) 

Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) said in Zad Al-Ma`ad, 1/464: 

“The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten the four-Rak`ah prayers , praying them with two Rak`ahs, from the time he set out travelling until he returned to Madinah. There is no sound report from him to suggest that he ever offered the four-Rak`ah prayers in full whilst travelling. 

With regard to the Hadith of `Aishah, according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten the prayers and offer them in full when travelling, and that he used to not fast and fast, it is not authentic. I heard Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah say: This is a lie against the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).”

It was narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten the prayers but `Aishah would offer them in full, and he might not fast one day but she would fast. 

Our Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“This is false. The Mother of the Believers would not go against the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and all his companions, and pray differently from them.”

Rather some of the Imams, such as Imam Abu Hanifah and Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on them) were of the view that shortening the prayers when travelling is obligatory, and it is not permissible to offer them in full. 

However, the correct opinion is that of the majority of scholars, that shortening the prayers is Sunnah and is preferable, and is not obligatory. That is supported by the fact that `Uthman and `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with them) offered prayers in full when travelling. If shortening the prayers when travelling was obligatory, they would not have offered them in full. The Companions followed `Uthman (may Allah be pleased with all of them) in offering the prayers in full in Mina; if offering the prayers in full was prohibited, they would not have followed him in that. 

Imam Ash-Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If it had been obligatory for the traveller to pray with two Rak`ahs, `Uthman, `Aishah and Ibn Mas`ud would not have offered the prayers in full, and it would not have been permissible for a traveller to offer the prayers in full when praying with a resident who is not travelling.” (Al-Umm, 1/159)

Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti`, 4/358-362: 

“Some of the scholars said that offering the prayers in full (when travelling) is disliked, because this is contrary to the regular, ongoing practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never offered the prayer in full when travelling, and he said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” This is the view favoured by Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and it is a strong view; in fact it may be the strongest of the opinions. 

Some of the scholars said that shortening the prayers is obligatory and that the one who offers the prayer in full is sinning. 

What seems to me to be most correct is that offering the prayers in full (when travelling) is disliked, not prohibited, and that the one who offers the prayer in full is not sinning. This is from a theoretical point of view. 

But from a practical point of view, is it befitting for a person to do something when he fears that he may be sinning thereby? 

It is not appropriate conduct; rather you should do what is Sunnah, because that is better for your spiritual wellbeing, even if it is permissible for you to do something contrary to that.”

Based on that, it is preferable for the traveller to shorten his prayers, but he does not have the right to refrain from offering the prayer in congregation for the sake of shortening the prayer; rather he must offer prayers in congregation. If the Imam is a resident (not travelling), he must offer the prayer in full with him, and if he is travelling, he must shorten the prayer with him. 

And Allah knows best.

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Source: Islam Q&A

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