Nasai

588. Commentary: Apparently, this concerns the description of combining (prayers) by delaying (the first prayer).

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Tabud:
Flowing little by little,
coming out drop by drop.
(2)
Ma’un Munhamir:
Flowing continuously.
(3)
Ghazir:
Very abundant.
(4)
Jinan:
Plural of Jannah,
garden,
this is your (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) miracle that, according to your prophecy, lush and flourishing gardens began to sway around this spring.

Benefits and Issues:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) upon reaching the spring of Tabuk, forbade the people from using its water,
so that before you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam),
by touching it,
it would not become completely dry and, for the manifestation of blessing, water would not be available,
if Allah wills, even twelve springs can gush forth from a rock.
And the Imam, for some expediency, can prohibit the use of something that is for public benefit,
those two men, due to ignorance,
unawareness, or forgetfulness, opposed your (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) command, and due to this opposition, you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reprimanded and rebuked them, saying that you should have respected my command, and according to some, both of them were hypocrites (munafiqeen).
The issue of combining two prayers has already been discussed in the matters of prayer.

Commentary:
1؎:
Which is coming ahead.

1208. Commentary:
➊ During travel, "combining between the two prayers" (jam‘ bayna al-salatayn) is Sunnah.
➋ Performing the ‘Asr prayer at the time of Zuhr and the ‘Isha prayer at the time of Maghrib is called "advanced combining" (jam‘ taqdim), and performing Zuhr at the time of ‘Asr and Maghrib at the time of ‘Isha is called "delayed combining" (jam‘ ta’khir), and according to circumstances, both forms are permissible. Some people say that only "apparent combining" (jam‘ suri) is permissible, the method of which is that Zuhr is performed at its last time and ‘Asr at its earliest time; similarly, the issue of combining Maghrib and ‘Isha is that Maghrib is performed at its last time and ‘Isha at its earliest time. That is, by combining in this way, can it really be called combining? In reality, each prayer is being performed in its own time, so to call this combining is itself incorrect; that is why they have named it "apparent combining" (jam‘ suri), meaning that outwardly it appears to be combining, but in reality, it is not. However, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed "advanced combining" (jam‘ taqdim) or "delayed combining" (jam‘ ta’khir). Were those combinations only apparent, as described in the method of "apparent combining"? Clearly, the words of the hadith do not support this; rather, it is evident from the hadith that in the case of advanced combining, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed one prayer at its earliest time (Zuhr or Maghrib) and immediately after that performed the second prayer (‘Asr or ‘Isha). And in the case of delayed combining, after the time of the first prayer had passed, in the time of the second prayer, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed both prayers (Zuhr along with ‘Asr at the time of ‘Asr, and Maghrib along with ‘Isha at the time of ‘Isha); these cannot in any way be called "apparent combining" (jam‘ suri). These were real combinations; therefore, according to circumstances, both advanced and delayed combining are permissible. And this is clearly established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This is among the beauties of Islam, on the basis of which Islam is called «دين يسر . . .» (the easy religion) and the religion of mercy. Those who wish to restrict it only to the form of apparent combining want to deprive Muslims of this «یسر» ease and mercy which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has granted to his followers. «هداهم الله إلى صراط المستقيم»

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
Just as it is permissible to shorten the prayer (qasr) during travel, it is also permissible to combine two prayers and perform them at one time.

(2)
There are two methods of combining prayers during travel.
The first is to delay the first prayer and perform it at the time of the second prayer; that is, to perform the Zuhr prayer at the time of Asr, and the Maghrib prayer at the time of Isha. This is called "combining by delaying" (jam‘ ta’khir).
The second method is to perform the second prayer before its prescribed time, at the time of the first prayer; that is, to perform Asr at the time of Zuhr, and Isha at the time of Maghrib. This is called "combining by advancing" (jam‘ taqdim).
See: (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, The Book of Prayer, Chapter: What Has Been Related About Combining Between Two Prayers, Hadith: 553)

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه مسلم 706/10 بعدح 2281، من حديث ما لك به وصرح ابوالبيز بالسماع عند احمد 229/5، وابن خزيمه 966]

Jurisprudential Points
➊ During travel, it is permissible to combine the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr (two rak‘ahs + two rak‘ahs) and the prayers of Maghrib and Isha (three rak‘ahs + two rak‘ahs).
➋ The caliph himself can wage war against the disbelievers along with his armies.
➌ The expedition of Tabuk was against the Christians of Syria who intended to attack the Muslims. Some scholars have said that this incident took place in Rajab of the 9th year of Hijrah. See: [التمهيد 196/12]
➍ This hadith shows that a traveler can combine two prayers while on a journey in a state of residence (i.e., when stopping during travel). See: [التمهيد 196/12]
➎ The meaning of “Jam‘ Taqdim” is to perform the Asr prayer at the time of Dhuhr and the Isha prayer at the time of Maghrib, while “Jam‘ Ta’khir” means to perform the Dhuhr prayer at the time of Asr and the Maghrib prayer at the time of Isha. “Jam‘ Suri” means to perform the Dhuhr prayer at the end of its time and the Asr prayer at the beginning of its time, thus combining them; similarly, to perform the Maghrib prayer at the end of its time and the Isha prayer at the beginning of its time. All three types of combining prayers are permissible. It is not correct to affirm one type and deny the others.
➏ In this hadith, there is mention of the great miracle of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that by the blessing of his ablution (wudu) water, Allah caused a spring to gush forth. Centuries later, Muhammad bin Waddah saw this spring. See: [التمهيد 208/12 وسندہ صحیح]
➐ The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to inform about the unseen (ghayb) by Allah’s revelation. Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr said:
«وفيه إخباره - صلَّى اللهُ عَليهِ وسَلمَ - بغيب كان بعده وهذا غير عجيب منه ولا مجهول من شأنه۔ صلَّى اللهُ عَليهِ وسَلمَ۔ وأعلى ذكره»
“And in this is that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) informed about the unseen after him, and this is not strange, nor is it unknown from his status (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). May Allah raise his mention.” [االتمهيد 12/ 208،]
● It should be remembered that being “Knower of the Unseen” (‘Alim al-Ghayb) is a unique attribute of Allah Ta‘ala alone.
➑ It is never permissible to oppose the command of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
➒ Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri asked Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar: “Can the Dhuhr and Asr prayers be combined during travel?” He replied: “Yes! There is no harm in it. Have you not seen the people performing the combined prayer at Arafat?” [موطأ مالك 145/1 ح 330 وسنده صحيح]
➓ Also see: [الموطأ حديث 109، 199، ومسلم 703، 705]