How Do We Combine and Shorten Prayers While Traveling?

Answered by Ustadh Shuaib Ally

Question

I travel for work. I used to be under the impression that combining the prayers meant performing Dhur and Asr as either eight cycles of prayer successively or four (if shortening) and then performing taslim. Is this correct?

Should I be performing 4 rakats(or 2 when shortening), salam out and then repeat?

I found these hadith in Sahih Muslim:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported: “I observed with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) eight (rak‘as) in combination, and seven rak‘as in combination.” I (one of the narrators) said: “O Abu Sha‘tha‘, I think that he (the Holy Prophet) had delayed the noon prayer and hastened the afternoon prayer, and he delayed the sunset prayer and hastened the ‘Isha’ prayer.” He said: “I also think so.”

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed in Medina seven (rak‘as) and eight (rak‘as), i. e. (be combined) the noon and afternoon prayers (eight rak‘as) and the sunset and ‘Isha’ prayers (seven rak‘as).

Answer

There are various permissible scenarios for performing prayer when traveling in the Shafi‘i madhhab:

Combining without Shortening

In your scenario, that would entail performing dhuhr (four rak‘as) followed immediately by ‘asr (four rak‘as). Both would then be performed within the time for dhuhr or the time for ‘Asr.

Shortening without Combining

Dhuhr (two rak‘as) in its time, then ‘asr (two rak‘as) within its own time period

Combining and Shortening

Dhuhr (two rak‘as) followed immediately by ‘asr (two rak‘as).

The Meaning of the Narrations

The narrations you mentioned are not related to combining prayers due to travel but rather have to do with the Prophet (peace be upon him) combining prayers while still in Medina. Scholars have interpreted these narrations in various ways. Imam al-Nawawi, for example, held that the prayers were combined due to illness. Other interpretations include the view that they were combined due to rain or that the combining was in form only, in that the dhuhr prayer was performed close to the time of ‘asr, and the latter was performed as soon as its time began, such that it appeared that the prayers were being combined. Discussion of these interpretative positions can be found in commentaries on the narrations in question. [Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, al-Hawashi al-Madaniyyah; Nawawi: Sharh Sahih Muslim]

Wassalam,

[Ustadh] Shuaib Ally
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani