Fath al-Rabbani

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out (from his place) before the sun had declined during the expedition of Tabuk, he would delay Zuhr and combine it with Asr and perform them together. And if he set out after the sun had declined, he would combine Zuhr and Asr and perform them together, then begin the journey. Similarly, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) started the journey before Maghrib, he would delay Maghrib until he performed it together with Isha, and if he set out after Maghrib, he would perform Isha early and combine it with Maghrib.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during travel would delay Zuhr and perform Asr early, and likewise would delay Maghrib and perform Isha early.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would set out before the sun had declined, he would delay the Zuhr prayer until the time of Asr, then dismount and combine both prayers. But if the sun had already declined before starting the journey, he would perform the Zuhr prayer and then mount his ride.

Abu Qalabah says: Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says, and to my knowledge he was narrating a marfu’ (attributed to the Prophet) narration: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) halted at a place during a journey and that place pleased him, he would stay there and combine the Zuhr and Asr prayers and perform them together. And when he was traveling and did not find a suitable place to halt, he would continue traveling and delay Zuhr until he reached a place, then he would combine and perform Zuhr and Asr together.

Hamzah Dhabbi says: I heard Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate this hadith that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would stop at any place, he would not depart from there without performing the Zuhr prayer. Muhammad bin Umar said to Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): O Abu Hamzah! Even if it was the time of midday? He said: (Yes) even if it was the time of midday.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) departed from Makkah Mukarramah at the time of sunset and did not perform the prayer until he reached the place of Saraf, which is at a distance of nine miles from Makkah.

(Second chain) Indeed, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was at a certain place when the sun set, but he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not perform the Maghrib prayer until he reached Mecca.

Umar bin Ali says: (On one occasion) Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, kept walking until the sun set and it became dark. Then he dismounted, performed the Maghrib prayer, and after that performed the Isha prayer, and said: I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, do the same.

Abu Zubair says that I asked Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) whether the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ever combined Maghrib and Isha prayers. He said: Yes, on the occasion of the Battle of Banu Mustaliq.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined two prayers on the day of the Battle of Banu Mustaliq.

Imam Nafi’ says: When the redness disappeared, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would combine Maghrib and Isha prayers and say: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a hurry to travel, he would combine these two prayers. In another narration it is stated: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a hurry to travel until a quarter of the night had passed, he would delay these two prayers.

Ismail bin Abdur Rahman says: We went out with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) towards the pasture. The sun set, but due to his awe, we could not ask about the prayer, until the whiteness on the horizon also disappeared and the initial darkness of the night had also ended. Then he (finally) dismounted and led us in three and two rak‘ahs (i.e., the Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers). Then he turned towards us and said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) do the same.

Imam Nafi’ says: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once combined two prayers, (the details are that) he received news regarding (his wife) Safiyyah bint Abi Ubaid that she was ill. So he performed the Asr prayer and set out, leaving his belongings and such behind. He began to walk quickly and continued his journey until the time for Maghrib prayer arrived. One companion said: “Pray (the Maghrib prayer).” But Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not reply to him. Then another person said the same thing, but he also did not reply to him. When a third person said the same thing, he said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that when he needed to hurry, he would delay this prayer until he combined both prayers and performed them together.”

(Second chain) Hazrat Nafi’ says: When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was informed about (his wife) Safiyyah needing help, he traveled in one night the distance usually covered in three nights. He kept walking until evening came. I said: Please perform the prayer, but he kept walking and did not pay any attention to me, until it became dark. Then either Hazrat Salim or another man said to him: Please perform the prayer, you have reached evening. (This time) he said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) needed to hurry, he would combine these two prayers, and I also wish to combine and perform them, so you keep walking. Then he continued the journey until the twilight disappeared, then he stopped and combined (Maghrib and Isha) and performed them.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I have only seen that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed every prayer at its prescribed time, except for two prayers; he combined Maghrib and ‘Isha at the place of Muzdalifah, and on that day he performed the Fajr prayer before its time. In the narration of Ibn Numayr, instead of the words "two prayers" (صَلَاتَیْن), the words "the two ‘Isha prayers" (الْعِشَائَیْنِ) are used; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined and performed these two prayers at Muzdalifah.