Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:

This is the opinion of Amr ibn Dinar; otherwise, this hadith is clear that combining two prayers is permissible.
In another narration, it is mentioned that this incident took place in Madinah Munawwarah, where there was neither any fear nor any restriction.
It has already been mentioned above that, according to the Ahl al-Hadith, this is permissible.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah derived from this hadith that it is permissible to omit the Sunnah prayers, and the Sunnah is also that if one combines (the prayers), then one should not perform the Sunnah prayers.
(Maulana Waheed al-Zaman, may Allah have mercy on him)

Hadith Commentary:
The hadith describes the situation of combining prayers while in a state of residence (not traveling).

➊ For a valid reason, it is permissible to combine two prayers even while residing, such as due to fear, rain, storm, illness, or any other emergency need.

➋ It is not correct to combine prayers without a valid reason.

➌ The importance of Sunnah and Nafl (supererogatory) prayers is well established in its own right, but when combining prayers in a state of residence, the Sunnah prayers after the first prayer should be omitted. For example:
If Zuhr and Asr are combined, the Sunnah prayers after Zuhr should not be performed; and if Maghrib and Isha are combined, the Sunnah prayers after Maghrib should not be performed.

➍ Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) once combined Zuhr and Asr in Basra and did not perform anything in between them. Then he explained that he had performed eight rak‘ahs of Zuhr and Asr together with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in Madinah, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not perform anything in between them.
(Sunan an-Nasa’i, al-Mawaqit, Hadith: 591)

➎ In light of this hadith, there is no harm in omitting the Sunnah prayers after the first prayer when combining two prayers in a state of residence.

➏ The aforementioned narration of Sahih al-Bukhari is also to be understood in this context.

And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
Tirmidhi has established this chapter on the authority of Sa‘id ibn Jubayr from Ibn ‘Abbas regarding this hadith «باب ماجاءفي الجمع بن الصلوٰتين», that is, “The statement concerning the combining of two prayers.” In this narration, it is clarified that Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma states that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam combined the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers, while he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was in Madinah, and he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was neither in a state of fear nor was there any rain. Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma was asked about the reason for this, so he explained «اراد ان لاتحرج امته» so that his ummah would not be put into hardship.

The late Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah states:
«قال الحافظ فى الفتح وقد ذهب جماعة من الائمة الي اخذ بظاهر هذالحديث فجوزوا الجمع فى الحضر مطلقالكن بشرط ان لايتخذ ذلك عادة وممن قال به ابن سيرين وربيعة واشهب وابن المنذر والقفال الكبير وحكاه الخطابي عن جماعة من اهل الحديث انتهيٰ۔ وذهب الجمهور الي ان الجمع بغيرعذر لايجوز۔» [تحفة الاحوذي، ج 1، ص : 166]
That is, Hafiz Ibn Hajar has said in Fath al-Bari that a group of Imams have given a fatwa based on the apparent meaning of this hadith. And they have declared it permissible, even in residence (hadr), to combine two prayers, with the condition that it is not made a habit. This is the fatwa of Ibn Sirin, Rabi‘ah, Ashhab, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Qaffal Kabir. And Khattabi has also transmitted this position from a group of the Ahl al-Hadith. However, the majority (jumhur) say that it is not permissible to combine (prayers) without an excuse. Imam Shawkani states that, due to the difference of so many Imams, it cannot be said that combining (prayers) is unanimously impermissible. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ishaq ibn Rahuyah have declared it absolutely permissible for the sick and the traveler to combine Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha. According to the evidences, this view is the strongest.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The statement of the narrator of the hadith, Abu Sha’tha’ Jabir bin Zayd rahimahullah, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did so due to rain, is questionable, because he himself is not certain about it, and then he did not persist in this explanation. Thus, in one narration it is mentioned that I said:
O Abu Sha’tha’! I think you delayed the Zuhr and advanced the Asr, and likewise delayed the Maghrib and advanced the Isha.
Abu Sha’tha’ replied:
That is also what I think.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Tatawwu’, Hadith: 1174)
In another narration, it is explicitly stated that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam combined these prayers without fear of the enemy or rain.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1633(705))
Also, due to rain, only combining by advancing (jama’ taqdim) is possible, not combining by delaying (jama’ ta’khir), whereas in this hadith, combining by delaying is mentioned.
It is thus clear that the two prayers were not combined due to rain.
It should also be noted that this cannot be due to clouds either, because while this might be possible for Zuhr and Asr, it is not possible for Maghrib and Isha. Likewise, it cannot be due to illness, because if it were due to illness, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not have done so in congregation with the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum, since the Companions radi Allahu anhum were not ill.

(2)
There are several reasons for combining two prayers, such as:
Rain, travel, fear, illness, or some important engagement.
Then, there are two forms of combining:
• True combining (jama’ haqiqi):
To perform one prayer in the time of another in such a way that the time of the first prayer has passed or the time of the second prayer has not yet begun. Then, two forms are possible:
• Combining by advancing (jama’ taqdim), i.e., performing Asr with Zuhr and Isha with Maghrib.
• Combining by delaying (jama’ ta’khir):
That is, performing Zuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha.
• Apparent combining (jama’ suri):
Delaying the first prayer until its last time and performing the second prayer early at its initial time.
In this way, apparently both prayers are combined, but each is performed within its own time.

(3)
From the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, both combining by advancing and combining by delaying during travel are established.
As narrated from Mu’adh bin Jabal radi Allahu anhu, that on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk, if the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam set out after the sun had declined, he would perform Zuhr and Asr at that time.
And if he set out before the sun had declined, he would delay Zuhr and perform it with Asr.
Similarly, if he set out after sunset, he would perform Maghrib and Isha at that time, and if he set out before sunset, he would delay Maghrib and perform it with Isha.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Salat, Hadith: 1220)
Also, it is narrated from Anas radi Allahu anhu that during travel, when the sun would decline, they would halt, then after performing Zuhr and Asr together, they would resume the journey.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 3/162)
Combining by advancing is also narrated from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu, who said:
Whenever the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was traveling, if the sun had declined at his place of stay, he would combine Zuhr and Asr and then set out, and if he set out before the sun had declined, he would delay Zuhr and perform it with Asr; he would do the same with Maghrib and Isha.
(Musnad Ahmad: 1/367)
From these ahadith, it is clear that during travel, both forms of combining prayers are permissible.
Depending on circumstances, it is permissible to perform prayers either by combining by advancing or by combining by delaying, and there is no objection in this.

(4)
Apart from travel, it is also permissible to combine two prayers in residence, provided that it is done occasionally due to some important necessity and not made a habit.
As is evident from the aforementioned hadith.
In one narration, the narrator asked Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu why the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did so, and Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu replied that it was done for the convenience of the Ummah, so that the Ummah would not fall into hardship and difficulty.
(Musnad Ahmad: 1/223)
This removal of hardship is also clarified in the following hadith: Abdullah bin Abbas radi Allahu anhu led Zuhr and Asr together in Basra.
There was no interval between them, and likewise, Maghrib and Isha were performed without any interval, and he did so due to some engagement.
After this, Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu said:
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed eight rak’ahs of Zuhr and Asr in Madinah without any interval.
(Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Mawaqit, Hadith: 591)
The explanation of this engagement is also mentioned in one narration: Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu once (in Basra) began delivering a sermon after Asr until the sun set and the stars appeared.
A man began repeatedly saying, “Prayer, prayer!” during the sermon.
He said:
Do not teach me the Sunnah.
I have seen the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam combine Zuhr and Asr and Maghrib and Isha.
The narrator, Abdullah bin Shafiq, says that I became doubtful about this, so I went to Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu and asked him about it, and Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu confirmed it.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1636(705))
From this, it is clear that in cases of severe and unavoidable necessity, it is permissible to combine two prayers in residence as well; however, it is not permissible to do so without a pressing need.
Among us, it is common for businessmen to combine two prayers out of laziness or business engagements; this is not correct.
In fact, according to some narrations, doing so is a grave sin.
Except in cases of unavoidable necessity, every prayer must be performed at its prescribed time.
And Allah knows best.
From the above explanation, it is also clear that the combining of two prayers mentioned in the hadith is true combining (jama’ haqiqi), not apparent combining (jama’ suri), as some of the elders of the time claim, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam stated the reason for this concession as the removal of hardship, whereas in apparent combining, a person clearly falls into difficulty and hardship.
The common person does not even know the beginning and end times of the prayers, whereas in apparent combining, one must search for these times and perform the prayers in such a way that as soon as the time of the first prayer ends, the time of the second begins; doing so is not only difficult but impossible.
Apparently, one narration seems to contradict this position:
Abdullah bin Mas’ud radi Allahu anhu said that I never saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam perform a prayer out of its time except at Muzdalifah, where he combined Maghrib and Isha, and the next day performed Fajr before its (usual) time.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Hajj, Hadith: 1682)
In this hadith, Abdullah bin Mas’ud radi Allahu anhu is stating his own observation.
It is not necessary that his observation encompasses all realities.
Before this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had performed Asr at Arafat before its time, during the time of Zuhr, which Abdullah bin Mas’ud radi Allahu anhu does not mention.
In short, except in cases of severe necessity and unavoidable excuse, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never combined two prayers, so all the ahadith are correct and authentic in their respective contexts, and there is no contradiction or disagreement among them.
And Allah knows best.
On this occasion, Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah has adopted a strange position, which is not based on reality.
He writes:
In this hadith, the words “he prayed in Madinah” are a mistake of the narrator, because this incident did not occur in Madinah but in Tabuk.
The narrator said that the combining of prayers occurred outside of travel, i.e., not during a journey, but in residence during travel.
Another narrator understood it as an incident of residence, and then some narrators interpreted it as being in Madinah, but this position can be objected to, as it would undermine trust in reliable narrators.
(Sharh Tarajim Bukhari, summarized)
But this position of Shah Sahib is clearly incorrect, because if this incident were during travel, the prayers would have been shortened (qasr), i.e., four rak’ahs of Zuhr and Asr and five of Maghrib and Isha, whereas the hadith states that “the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed eight rak’ahs of Zuhr and Asr and seven rak’ahs of Maghrib and Isha.”
Therefore, this incident is not of Tabuk but of Madinah Tayyibah, and no narrator made a mistake in reporting it.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would generally perform the Maghrib prayer at its earliest time.
To delay it without a valid reason to the extent that the net of stars spreads across the sky is a disliked and reprehensible act.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah)'s purpose in citing the hadith of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) is to show that although the initial time for Maghrib prayer begins as soon as the sun sets, if there is some religious engagement that causes a delay in Maghrib, then there is allowance for this.
As is mentioned in a detailed narration from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu).
Abdullah bin Shafiq reports that once Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) began delivering an admonition after the Asr prayer, continuing until the sun had set and stars had appeared in the sky.
He continued with his admonition.
Someone among those present said:
"As-salat, as-salat, prayer, prayer," meaning its time is passing, let us perform it.
Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) rebuked him and said that on such occasions, delay is permissible.
Just as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) on one occasion performed eight rak‘ahs of Zuhr and Asr together, and seven rak‘ahs of Maghrib and Isha together.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1636(705)) (2)
From this hadith, it is also understood that the time for Maghrib extends from sunset until the time of Isha.
And its final time is directly connected to the beginning time of Isha, with no interval in between.
As some have tried to extract a shared time in between.
Wallahu a‘lam.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: The three Imams—Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, and Imam Ahmad rahimahullah—have interpreted this as referring to "delayed combination" (jama‘ ta’khir), meaning that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam delayed the first prayer until the beginning time of the second prayer, and then performed both prayers within the time of the second prayer.

As for the Hanafis, they have interpreted this as "apparent combination" (jama‘ suri), meaning that both prayers were performed in their respective times. That is, the first prayer was performed at its last permissible time, and the second at its earliest permissible time. In this way, both were combined, but each was performed in its own time.

It is evident that the reason and cause for combining, as stated by Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma, is contrary to this interpretation, because strictly adhering to the very last and very first moments of the prayer times is not an easy task, and this interpretation is also contrary to the aforementioned narrations regarding delayed combination.

Whereas Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma is describing this combination as the method and habit of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as will be mentioned further in the narration. Thus, according to Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma, the manner of combining prayers in both travel and residence is the same.

Although the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed this act in residence only once.

1214. Commentary:
The purpose of this was exactly what has been stated in Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith [1211], that the Ummah should not face hardship. The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) and the majority of the Ummah did not permit making this a habitual practice; rather, permission has only been granted in cases of extreme necessity.

604. Commentary: The narration conveying this meaning has already been mentioned previously. For details, see Hadith: 590.