At what distance may the prayer be shortened
Question:
What distance of travel makes a traveller shorten the prayer? Is it permissible to combine the prayers but not shorten them?
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The opinions of scholars regarding shortening the prayer differ. The details of these opinions are as follows:
Determining the distance for shortening the prayer
◈ Some scholars have stated the distance for shortening the prayer as 83 kilometres (approximately).
◈ According to other scholars, the distance sufficient for shortening the prayer is that which people customarily call “travel”, even if it is less than 83 kilometres. If people do not regard a distance as “travel”, it will not count as legal travel, even if that distance is 100 kilometres.
Opinion of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah:
◈ Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) also adopted this same opinion, that:
Allah the Exalted did not specify any fixed distance for shortening the prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ did not set any particular limit of distance.
Hadith:
It is narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):
«کَانَ النَّبِيِّ إِذَا خَرَجَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَمْيَالٍ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةَ فَرَاسِخَ قَصَرَ الصَّلَاةَ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ»
Meaning:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he travelled a distance of three miles or three farsakh, would shorten the prayer and pray only two rak’ahs.”
Action according to custom:
◈ If customs differ in various regions, there is no harm in acting on these customary opinions, since these views are also held by some imams and mujtahid scholars.
◈ If the custom of a particular area becomes fully clear, then acting upon it will be correct.
The relationship between combining and shortening the prayers
Separate status of combining and shortening:
◈ Even though shortening is permissible, this does not mean that combining (joining two prayers and performing them together) is also obligatory.
◈ Combining prayers is linked to need and necessity, and is not conditional upon shortening.
Examples of combining in everyday circumstances:
◈ In the case of rain, when going to the mosque is difficult, people combine the prayers.
◈ In the severity of cold and chilly wind, this situation is also possible.
◈ Prayers may also be combined in fear of the loss or destruction of property.
Hadith:
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
«جَمَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ، وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ مِنْ غَيْرِ خَوْفٍ وَلَا مَطَرٍ»
Meaning:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha, in Madinah without any fear or rain.”
Explanation of this hadith:
◈ The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked why he had done so.
◈ Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “So that there would be no hardship upon the ummah by leaving the combining.”
Legal principle:
◈ If a person would fall into hardship by abandoning combining, then combining is permissible.
◈ If there is no hardship, then combining is not permissible.
◈ During travel, there is often a fear of hardship in abandoning combining, so it is permissible for the traveller to combine, whether he continues his journey or decides to stay.
When should one shorten and combine?
◈ For the traveller, combining is permissible.
◈ For the resident (one who is not on a journey), abandoning combining is preferable.
◈ However, if a person takes up residence in a city where there is an established system of congregational prayer:
➤ He must perform the prayer with the congregation.
➤ In such a case he will neither combine nor shorten.
◈ If congregation is not available:
➤ He will shorten.
➤ He will combine only in case of necessity.
Footnote / Verification:
(1) “Since the limit of three farsakh (i.e. approximately 15 old miles) is established from the hadith, how can returning to custom and habit be more correct?”
Therefore, the opinion of the esteemed Mufti (may Allah have mercy on him) is marjuh (weak).
The stronger position (rajih) is that the distance of travel is established from the hadith, and it is three farsakh.
According to the research of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Noorpuri (may Allah have mercy on him), this comes to 23 kilometres.
This distance will be counted after leaving the limits of the city.
Conclusion:
There are differing opinions of scholars regarding the distance for shortening the prayer. In the light of the hadith, three farsakh (approximately 23 kilometres) may be taken as the legal standard, while combining and shortening are adopted according to need, circumstances and custom.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
