Musnad Ishaq

Benefits:
In the aforementioned narration, it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to combine the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha, both while residing and while traveling. Combining prayers during travel is established from other hadiths as well; performing one prayer in the time of the other is called combining in advance (jam‘ taqdim) and combining in delay (jam‘ ta’khir). Imam Ahmad, Malik, and Shafi‘i (rahimahumullah) hold the permissibility of this combining during travel. And even while residing, it is permissible to combine prayers due to illness, rain, or fear. As Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) led us in eight rak‘ahs and seven rak‘ahs in Madinah, meaning the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha (combined). (Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 1214)

In another narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) combined the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha in Madinah without any fear or rain. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) was asked: What was your purpose in this? He said: So that the Ummah would not be put to hardship. (Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 1211) ‘Allamah Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri (rahimahullah) states: In Fath al-Bari, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has said that a group of Imams have given fatwa on the apparent meaning of this hadith and have declared it permissible even while residing, absolutely, that two prayers may be combined, with the condition that it is not made a habit. This is the fatwa of Ibn Sirin, Rabi‘ah, Ashhab, Ibn al-Mundhir, Qaffal (rahimahumullah), and others.

And ‘Allamah Khattabi (rahimahullah) has also transmitted this position from a group of Ahl al-Hadith. However, the majority say: Without a valid excuse, it is not permissible to combine two prayers. (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 1/166)