sgi-salat.al.qasr
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ; وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ; وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي ; يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
In order that the readers may understand the subject clearly (Be-izn-Allah), let us cover this topic under different questions covering different aspects of the topic, and then we will go through the answers of the same to get the facts clarified, Insha’Allah.
Insha’Allah, we will cover the subject in two major parts: The first part deals with the essence of Salat Al-Qasr; whereas, in second part we shall understand the requirements/actions/other categorized things associated with Salat Al-Qasr.
So, let us start.
PART 1
Q. 1. Why should we offer shortened prayers while in a journey?
Most of the people say that we should always offer shortened prayers during journey as it is a farz. The explanation in the support of this view is that it is an order from Allah in Qur’an. But limiting our understanding to this shall render our knowledge on this subject incomplete. Therefore, we need to study this subject from a deeper perspective. Let us refer to Qur’an and some ahadith on the subject to get the exact information about it.
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنْ الصَّلاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمْ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوّاً مُبِيناً
“And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten As-Salat if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial; verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.”
(Aayah No. 101, Surah An-Nisa’, Chapter No. 4, Holy Qur’an).
The verse above does not highlight any order from Allah for shortening the prayer; instead, Allah says that there is no harm if you do it. So, what shall we do then? Following hadith will answer this:
Yǎla bin Umayyah said: I asked Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA), “Do you see that people are shortening the prayers? This, despite the fact that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: ‘If you fear that those who disbelieve will put you in trial.’ And this fear has now gone in our days.” Umar Farooq (RA) replied, “I also wondered about what you are wondering, and I mentioned this to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH), and he said: (This is a) charity that Allah has given to you, so accept His charity.”
(Hadith No. 1199, Book of The Traveller’s Prayers, Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 2; Hadith No. 1573 (686), Book of The Traveller’s Prayers & Shortening Thereof, Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2).
Hence, it is not made obligatory by Allah in Qur’an; rather it is an allowance (as Allah’s Messenger, PBUH, said in hadith quoted above) from Allah, and refusing the charity or allowance from Allah will be an act of non-thankfulness on our part. So, let us put it like this: Offering the farz prayers, either in normal circumstances and/or during a journey, is a ‘Farz'; the act of shortening the farz prayers during the journey is a ‘Sunnah’. And that’s why we should offer shortened prayers during a journey.
PART 2
Having understood, the concept of ‘Why’ to offer shortened prayers in journey, let us now move our attention to‘How’ to offer prayers during a journey.
Q. 2.1. What is the length of journey that makes it permissible for one to offer shortened prayer?
The distance of any journey that makes shortened prayers permissible is 48 miles and above, as agreed by all scholars. If converted into kilometres, it works out to approximately 77 KMs. This is authenticated by following narration:
The Prophet (PBUH) called a journey of one day & one night as travelling. Ibn Umar (RA), Ibn Abbas (RA) used to shorten the Salat & stop fasting in a journey of four ‘Burud’ i.e. sixteen ‘Farsakh’ i.e. 48 miles (1 Farsakh equals 3 miles).
(Chapter 4, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
The view that a journey which comprises of one day and one night of travel is considered a journey for shortening of prayers gets slightly inapplicable for modern scenario. The fast modes of travelling nowadays have enabled us to cover thousands of miles in a very short duration (much earlier than completion of a day and a night). Therefore, if we stick to the criterion of one day and one night of duration to consider it as a journey, then we might end up making the ruling of shortened prayers extinct. This is my personal understanding of the subject. May Allah forgive me and guide me to proper understanding if my understanding is not correct.
Therefore, as per the criterion of distance, which is a better way to judge the journey and is universally accepted by all scholars, whenever we travel for a distance of 48 miles (or 77 kilometres) and more, we offer shortened prayer.
And Allah knows best.
Q. 2.2. Up to how many days can we offer shortened prayers?
Let me briefly describe different views which we come across on this matter:
Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad go with 4 day limit. Their view is based on report that Sa’eed bin Al-Musayyab said that ‘when he stays for four (days) he prays four (raka’at)’. Sa’eed bin Al-Musayyab was born in Madinah during the Caliphate of Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) and is considered to be one of the foremost authorities in jurisprudence among the Taba’een.
Imam Al-Awzai goes with 12 day limit. His view is based on report from Ibn Umar (RA), from whom 12 days as well as 15 days, both have been reported in context of shortening of prayers.
People of Kufah followed the 15 day limit. Their view is also based on report from Ibn Umar (RA).
But the strongest view is of Ibn Abbas (RA) because he narrated it directly from the Prophet (PBUH). The hadith is as follows:
Narrated Ibn Abbas (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) once travelled & stayed for nineteen (19) days and offered shortened prayers. So when we travelled for 19 days, we used to shorten the prayer, but if we travelled (& stayed) for a longer period, we used to offer the full prayer.
(Hadith No. 1080, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2; Hadith No. 549, Chapters on Travelling, Jami’ At-Tirmidhi, Vol. 2).
So, the strongest view is: We can offer shortened prayers (Salat Al-Qasr) if we travel (& stay) up to nineteen (19) days; if the journey (& stay) is more than nineteen days, we should pray full prayers.
Q. 2.3. How many raka’at shall we pray in journey?
Narrated Ibn Umar (RA): I accompanied Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) & he never offered more than two raka’at prayer during a journey. Abu Bakr (RA), Umar (RA) & Uthman (RA) used to do the same.
(Hadith No. 1102, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
Therefore, it is clear that we have to offer only two raka’at in each prayer when in a journey. But here another question crops up: Is it ‘two raka’at’ even for Maghrib? Let us find out.
Hadith mentioned above shows that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) always used to offer two raka’at for each prayer during a journey. However, following hadith tells us something else:
Saalim said, “Ibn Umar (RA) used to offer the Maghrib & Isha prayers together in Al-Muzdalifa.” Saalim further said, “Ibn Umar (once) delayed the Maghrib prayer because at that time he heard the news of the death of his wife, Saffiya bint Abi Ubaid. I said to him, ‘As-Salat.’ He said, ‘Go on.’ Again I said, ‘As-Salat (is due).’ He said, ‘Go on,’ till we covered two or three miles. Then he got down, offered Salat and said, “I saw Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) offering Salat in this way, whenever he was in a hurry during the journey.” Abdullah bin Umar (RA) added, “Whenever Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) was in a hurry, he used to delay the Maghrib prayers and then offer three raka’at (of Maghrib) and perform Taslim, and after waiting for a short while,Iqamah used to be pronounced for the Isha prayer, when he would offer two raka’at & perform Taslim. He would never offer any optional Salat till the middle of the night (when he used to offer Tahajjud).”
(Hadith No. 1092, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
Therefore, we come to know that the Prophet (PBUH) offered three raka’at for Maghrib prayer while in journey. As the Prophet (PBUH) had prayed three raka’at in Maghrib during travel, I personally am of the view that we should offer three raka’at in Maghrib. This is the most universally accepted view in context of number of raka’at to be offered in Maghrib prayer during a journey. This is way of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); the Sunnah way.
Q. 2.4. Shall we offer Nawafil prayers during a journey?
This question is yet another point where we come across more than one view as an answer:
View 1: Voluntary/Nawafil prayers should not be offered during a journey.
Narrated Hafs bin Asim: Ibn Umar (RA) went on a journey & said, “I accompanied the Prophet (PBUH) and he did not offer the Nawafil during the journey, and Allah says
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, PBUH) you have a good example to follow…”
(Hadith No. 1101, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2).
The verse from Qur’an which Ibn Umar (RA) quoted in hadith above is Aayah No. 21, Surah Al-Ahzab (Chapter No. 33). The same hadith has been reported in a more detailed manner by Imam Abu Dawud; it is as follows:
Hafs bin Asim bin Umar bin Al-Khattab narrated: I accompanied Ibn Umar (RA) in one of his journeys. He led us in a two raka’at prayer, then turned around and saw people standing. He asked, “What are these people doing?” I said, “They are praying voluntary (nawafil) prayers.” He said, “If I were to pray the voluntary prayers, I would have completed my (obligatory) prayer! O nephew, I accompanied Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) during his travels, and he never prayed more than two raka’at (while travelling) until Allah took his soul. And I accompanied Abu Bakr (RA) during his travels, and he never prayed more than two raka’at until Allah took his soul. And I accompanied Umar (RA) during his travels, and he never prayed more than two raka’at until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, took his soul. And I accompanied Uthman (RA) during his travels, and he never prayed more than two raka’at until Allah took his soul. And Allah has said: Indeed, you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example.”
(Hadith No. 1223, Book of the Traveller’s Prayers, Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 2).
If we read these ahadith in conjunction with hadith mentioned in previous section (explaining joint Maghrib & Isha prayers by Allah’s Messenger, PBUH), we come to know that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) did not offer nawafil prayers in a journey, except the night prayer (i.e. Tahajjud & Witr).
View 2: Voluntary/Nawafil prayers may/can be offered during a journey.
The second hadith (Hadith No. 1092, Book of Abridged Prayers, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2) quoted in Q.2.3. above tells us that the Prophet (PBUH) would offer night prayer (i.e. Tahajjud & Witr) during his journey. However, there are some other narrations which tell us that other nawafil prayers were also being offered by the Prophet (PBUH) during a journey; refer to one such narration below:
Al-Bara bin Azib (RA) said: I accompanied Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) on eighteen journeys, and I did not see him leave the two raka’at when the sun waned before Zuhr.”
(Hadith No. 550, Chapters on Travelling, Jami’ At-Tirmidhi, Vol. 2).
View 3: Voluntary/Nawafil prayers must be offered in full during a journey.
As per my understanding of the subject, this view has no basis at all.
I personally go by the view of Ibn Umar (RA) i.e. we are not required/supposed to offer Nawafil prayers during a journey (when we are offering shortened prayers), except night prayer (i.e. Tahajjud & Witr).
However, if someone, based on the above mentioned narrations related to nawafil prayers during journey, offers other voluntary prayers also during a journey (i.e. follows View 2 discussed above), that too shall be OK, and should not be made a point of argument.
Q. 2.5. When the journey does starts and when does it ends?
It is well established by ahadith that the journey (in context of shortening of prayers) starts when a person starts from his/her place (i.e. the city in which he/she lives); and the journey ends when he / she reaches back his/her place (i.e. the city in which he/she lives); and, the permission to offer shortened prayer becomes valid only when we get out of the limits of our town/city/place. This is authenticated by following hadith:
It was reported from Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir and Ibrahim bin Maisarah, that they heard Anas bin Malik (RA) saying, “I prayed Zuhr with Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) four raka’at while in Al-Madinah, and then Asr as two raka’at at Dhul-Hulaifah.”
(Hadith No. 1202, Book of the Traveller’s Prayers, Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 2).
Therefore, a prayer shall be shortened only after a person has left his place for a journey and is beyond the limits of his/her city/town. If he travels even 100 kilometres or more within the city, the ruling of shortened prayers won’t apply.
Concluding remarks
I hope most of the doubts pertaining to rulings associated with shortening of prayers in a journey must get clarified once the reader is through this article thoroughly.
May Allah enlighten us with the knowledge and help us to act accordingly!
And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive me if I am wrong and guide us to the right path…Ameen.
.سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُون ; وَسَلامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ ; وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[sourse-http://www.quranandhadith.com/prayer-in-journey/]
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