Hadith 1958

(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ الأَحْوَلُ ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : " سَافَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَأَقَامَ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ ، يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ " ، قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : فَنَحْنُ إِذَا سَافَرْنَا ، فَأَقَمْنَا تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ ، صَلَّيْنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، فَإِذَا أَقَمْنَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ، صَلَّيْنَا أَرْبَعًا .
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey, and he stayed there for 19 days but continued to perform the prayers as two rak‘ahs each. Therefore, when we also travel and stay for 19 days, we perform the prayers as two rak‘ahs, that is, shortened. And when we stay for more than that, we perform four rak‘ahs, that is, the full prayer.
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / ومن مسند بني هاشم / 1958
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 1080.