Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
1.
There are two types of numerical modalities:
One is the number of prayers, and the other is the number of units (rak‘at) within each prayer.
Regarding the first type, clarification is found in the hadith of Isra, where initially fifty prayers were made obligatory, then, after successive reductions, five prayers were maintained.
In this hadith, it is mentioned regarding the number of units (rak‘at) at the time when prayer was made obligatory, that when prayer was first prescribed, each prayer consisted of two units (rak‘at), then in the prayer performed in residence (hadr), two units were added.
However, in the narration reported by Ibn Ishaq rahimahullah, there is an exception for the Maghrib prayer.
It appears that the Maghrib prayer was three units (rak‘at) from the beginning; it was never two units.
(Musnad Ahmad: 273/6)
In another narration, there is further detail that initially, two units (rak‘at) were made obligatory for each prayer.
Then, when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam migrated, four units (rak‘at) were made obligatory, and the prayer during travel (safar) was left in its original state.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Manaqib, Hadith: 3935)
The hadith scholar Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah has transmitted the detailed narration of Aisha radi Allahu anha in these words:
Initially, in both travel and residence, two units (rak‘at) were made obligatory for each prayer. Then, when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam migrated to Madinah and attained peace and tranquility, two units were added to the prayer in residence, and the Fajr prayer was left as it was due to its lengthy recitation, and likewise, Maghrib was not increased because it is the witr (odd-numbered prayer) of the day.
Therefore, no addition was made to it either.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 157/1, Hadith: 305)
In one narration, it is stated that initially, only two units (rak‘at) were made obligatory, and for travel, it remained the same, but the prayer in residence was completed (i.e., increased).
The narrator of the hadith, Imam al-Zuhri rahimahullah, asked his teacher, Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, why then did Aisha radi Allahu anha perform the full prayer during travel? He replied that she, like Uthman radi Allahu anhu, interpreted it (in a particular way).
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Taqsir al-Salat, Hadith: 1090)
From the answer of Urwah rahimahullah, it is understood that Aisha radi Allahu anha completed the prayer by interpreting herself as a resident, not as a traveler, so there is no contradiction between her action and her narration.
Is shortening (qasr) of prayer during travel obligatory, a firm command (azimah), or a concession (rukhsa)? This will be discussed in the book "al-Taqsir al-Salat."
The purpose of Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah in mentioning the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha at this point was only to show that, in terms of the number of units (rak‘at), the initial obligation of prayer in both travel and residence was two units, and later, the prayer in residence was increased, while the prayer during travel remained two units.
Other discussions related to this hadith have been presented by Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah later, so we will also present our remarks there.
It should be noted that Aisha radi Allahu anha did not use personal reasoning (ijtihad) regarding the number of units (rak‘at), because analogy (qiyas) has no place in this matter; rather, she either learned this from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or from another companion. Therefore, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has clarified that this narration is, in meaning, marfu‘ (attributed to the Prophet).
(Fath al-Bari: 602/1)

2.
The narration of Aisha radi Allahu anha is contrary to a narration reported by Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu, whose wording is as follows:
From the truthful tongue of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, four units (rak‘at) were made obligatory for prayer in residence, two units in travel, and one unit in fear (salat al-khawf).
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah resolved this apparent contradiction by stating that after the migration to Madinah, the prayers in residence were completed (i.e., increased), and then, when the difficulties of travel arose, along with other concessions, a concession was also given regarding prayer, that it could be shortened (qasr), because the verse of qasr was revealed in the fourth year after the migration.
In light of this explanation, the meaning of the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha is that, as a result and outcome, after the reduction, the prayer during travel became two units instead of four.
This does not mean that from the time of obligation, it was two units which were then maintained.
(Fath al-Bari: 602/1)
However, the heart is not satisfied with this explanation, because this interpretation is contrary to the explicit words of Aisha radi Allahu anha.
Furthermore, in this explanation, an analogy has been made for which there is no reasonable basis, namely, that since the verse of qasr was revealed in the fourth year after the migration, therefore, during those four years, the prayer during travel must also have been four units.
No evidence has been presented for this analogy; rather, the narration of Aisha radi Allahu anha is clear that the increase was made in the prayer in residence, not in the prayer during travel, which was maintained as it was.
The meaning of the narration of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu could be that after the migration, the prayers in residence were set at four units, and in travel, they remained two units.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Authentication: [وأخرجه البخاري 350، ومسلم 685، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Points:
➊ Except for Maghrib, every prayer during travel is two obligatory (fard) units. The exception of Maghrib being three units is found in the narration of «إلا المغرب فإنها كانت ثلاثًا» in Musnad Ahmad [ج6 ص272 ح26338 وسنده حسن]. And all praise is due to Allah.
➋ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that Allah, through the tongue of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, has made four units obligatory in residence (home, village, and city), two units during travel, and one unit in a state of fear. [صحيح مسلم : 1575] That is, for the resident, four units are obligatory, and for the traveler, two units are obligatory, except for the Maghrib prayer.
➌ Performing the full prayer during travel is also established. The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would shorten (qasr) the prayer during travel, and Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha would perform the full prayer, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «أحسنت یا عائشة !» "O Aisha! You have done well." [سنن النسائي 3/121 ح1457، وسنده حسن وأخطأ من ضعفه]
◈ Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha used to perform the full prayer during travel. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه 2/452 ح8189 وسنده صحيح]
◈ Abu Qilabah (the Tabi‘i) rahimahullah said: If you perform two units during travel, it is Sunnah, and if you perform four, it is (also) Sunnah. [ابن ابي شيبه ح8188 وسنده صحيح]
◈ Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib rahimahullah said: If you wish during travel, perform two units, and if you wish, perform four. [ابن ابي شيبه : 8192 وسنده صحيح]
◈ Ata (ibn Abi Rabah) rahimahullah said: If you shorten (qasr), it is a concession, and if you perform the full prayer, it is your choice. [ابن ابي شيبه : 1819وسنده صحيح]

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الصلاة، باب كيف فرضت الصلوات في الإسراء، حديث:350، ومسلم، صلاة المسافرين، باب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها، حديث:685، وحديث ((ثم هاجر....)) أخرجه البخاري، حديث: 3935، وحديث ((إلا المغرب فإنها وترالنهار)) أخرجه أحمد:6 /241، 272 وهو حديث صحيح.»©Explanation:
➊ This hadith proves that in the beginning, the obligatory prayer (salah) in both residence and travel was two rak‘ahs each; later, the prayer during travel was kept in its original state, but in residence, two rak‘ahs were added.
➋ From the statement of the Noble Qur’an regarding shortened prayer (qasr), it is understood that performing shortened prayer during travel is permissible, not obligatory.
➌ The position of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah is that qasr during travel is obligatory, whereas Imam Ahmad and Imam Shafi‘i, and others, consider it a Sunnah and interpret it as a concession (rukhsah), and this is the preferred opinion.
➍ In Sunan al-Daraqutni, it is narrated from A’ishah radi Allahu anha that during travel, she performed the full prayer. When this was reported to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he praised her for it. (Sunan al-Daraqutni: 2/188, and Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 3/142) In following Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah, Hafiz Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah and other later scholars have declared this hadith weak, which is the correct position, whereas Imam Daraqutni rahimahullah has graded it as hasan. For further details, see: (Zad al-Ma‘ad, edited by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut and ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Arna’ut: 1/447, 455)