❖ Should a Person Traveling to Makkah for Ḥajj or ʿUmrah Shorten the Prayers?
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
Should a person traveling to Makkah for Ḥajj or ʿUmrah perform qaṣr (shortened prayer) or full prayers?
❖ Answer:
A person who travels to Makkah for Ḥajj or ʿUmrah is considered a traveler (musāfir) and therefore, he should perform qaṣr — that is, he should shorten the four-unit (rakʿah) prayers to two rakʿāt.
However, if he prays behind a resident (muqīm) Imam, then he must complete the full four rakʿāt, as the follower must follow the Imam.
❖ Scholarly Consensus:
❀ Imām Ibn Baṭṭāl رحمه الله (d. 449 AH) said:
"اتفق العلماء على أن الحاج القادم مكة يقصر الصلاة بها وبمنى وسائر المشاهد، لأنه عندهم فى سفر..."
"The scholars are unanimously agreed that a pilgrim arriving in Makkah performs shortened prayers (qaṣr) in Makkah, Minā, and the other sacred sites — because he is considered to be in a state of travel. Makkah is only a place of residence for its inhabitants or those intending permanent stay."
(Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3/68; Al-Tawḍīḥ by Ibn al-Mulaqqin: 8/440)
❖ Practice of the Companions:
❀ Mūsā ibn Salamah al-Hudhalī رحمه الله said:
"I asked Ibn ʿAbbās: What should I do if I am in Makkah and do not pray with the Imam?"
He replied:
"Pray two rakʿāt — this is the Sunnah of Abul-Qāsim ﷺ."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 688)
—
❀ ʿAbdur-Raḥmān ibn Yazīd al-Nakhaʿī رحمه الله reported:
"ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān رضی الله عنه led us in four rakʿāt prayer at Minā. When this was mentioned to ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضی الله عنه, he recited:
'Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn',
and said:
'I prayed two rakʿāt at Minā with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and with Abū Bakr and ʿUmar. I wish I could have two accepted rakʿāt instead of those four.'"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1084; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 695)
This also shows that if the Imam prays four, the follower must pray four and cannot shorten individually while in congregation.
—
❀ Nāfiʿ رحمه الله said:
"Ibn ʿUmar stayed in Makkah for ten nights and continued to shorten his prayer. But if he prayed with the Imam, he would follow the Imam and complete the prayer."
(Muwaṭṭaʾ Imām Mālik: 1/148 — Authentic chain)
He also said:
"كان ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما إذا صلى مع الإمام صلى أربعا، وإذا صلى وحده، صلى ركعتين."
"Ibn ʿUmar would perform four rakʿāt when praying with the Imam, and only two when praying alone."
(Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār by al-Ṭaḥāwī: 2400 — Authentic chain)
✔ Summary:
A pilgrim (ḥājī) or ʿumrah performer is a traveler and should perform qaṣr (2 rakʿāt) for 4-rakʿah prayers. This includes prayers in Makkah, Minā, and other sacred sites. If praying behind a resident Imam, he must complete all four rakʿāt. This ruling is based on the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, and scholarly consensus.
