What Is Considered to Be a City Boundary When Traveling?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I am trying to understand what is considered to be a city boundary in the Hanafi school. I live in Woodside(city), NY which is within Queens(county), NY, therefor it is considered NYC(5 county/borough). In the event I start travelling, when do I exactly start shortening my prayers? Woodside as a city boundary itself isn’t a huge radius (less than 2miles).

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Once you initiate a legal journey [approximately forty-eight miles or more] from your city boundary, you may begin to shorten your prayers.

In your situation, the rules of being a traveller would apply when you leave New York City.

Please also see: The Basic Rulings of Travel and: The Definition of a Resident Person & Traveler

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.