⫷ Correct Method of Qasr and Nawāfil for a Traveller in Makkah ⫸
❖ Question:
I am visiting Makkah on a visit visa for 5 days to perform ʿUmrah. During this period, is it better to perform Qasr (shortened) prayers or to focus on more voluntary (Nafl) prayers?
❖ Answer by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakīl Nāṣir ḥafiẓahullāh:
① Virtue of Qasr for the Traveller
There is unanimous consensus among scholars that for a traveller, acting upon the concession (rukhṣah) is better and more virtuous.
✔ Performing Qasr (shortened) prayers—i.e., two rakʿahs instead of four for Ẓuhr, ʿAsr, and ʿIshāʾ—is preferred and meritorious.
✔ Therefore, in Makkah, Qasr prayer should be performed during travel.
② Sunnah Muʾakkadah and Nafl During Travel
During travel, the regular Sunnah Muʾakkadah of Ẓuhr, Maghrib, and ʿIshāʾ are not obligatory nor emphasized, except for the following:
✔ Two Sunnahs of Fajr
✔ Witr Prayer
✔ Two rakʿahs after Ṭawāf (Ṣalāt al-Ṭawāf)
These are either confirmed Sunnahs or well-established from the Prophet ﷺ during travel.
Other Nafl prayers are optional, and may be performed as one wishes, without it being mandatory.
③ Emphasis on Voluntary Acts in Makkah
While performing Qasr prayers is preferable, it is highly encouraged to engage in:
✔ Extra Nafl prayers
✔ Frequent Ṭawāf of the Kaʿbah
✔ Recitation of Qurʾān and Dhikr
After completing Ṭawāf, the two rakʿahs behind Maqām Ibrāhīm are Sunnah, and should be performed with care.
❖ Summary:
✅ Qasr is preferred and Sunnah for a traveller in Makkah.
✅ Fajr Sunnah, Witr, and Ṭawāf prayer should be maintained.
✅ Other Nafl prayers are permissible and praiseworthy, but not obligatory.
✅ Use the opportunity to increase acts of worship, particularly Ṭawāf and duʿāʾ.
