In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
1. Combining and Shortening the Prayers While Traveling
Allah, out of His mercy, has granted the traveler ease in his prayers—by shortening and, at times, combining them. This is clearly established in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Allah says:
“And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, if you fear that those who disbelieve may harm you.”
[Surah An-Nisa, 4:101]
When asked about the relevance of fear in this verse, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“It is a charity that Allah has given to you, so accept His charity.”
(Narrated by Muslim, no. 686)
Additionally, Ibn Abbas narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha in Madinah without fear or rain.”
When asked why, he said:
“So that no hardship would befall his Ummah.”
(Narrated by Muslim, no. 705)
2. The Majority Opinion (Maliki, Shafii, Hanbali)
According to the majority of scholars from the Maliki, Shafii, and Hanbali schools, the following rulings apply:
- Shortening the prayer (qasr) is allowed:
- When the travel distance is approximately 80–89 km (about 48–55 miles)
- When the traveler intends to stay less than four full days (excluding arrival and departure)
- Combining prayers (Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha) is also allowed:
- While traveling
- During rain (for residents)
- In some views, for illness or hardship
- During Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ combined:
- Dhuhr and Asr at ‘Arafah
- Maghrib and Isha at Muzdalifah
This practice was witnessed by thousands of companions and forms a cornerstone of this concession.
3. The Hanafi Position
- Shortening is obligatory if:
- The distance of travel is 77–88 km or more
- The traveler does not intend to stay 15 days or more
- Combining is not allowed in Hanafi fiqh, except:
- At Arafah (Dhuhr + Asr)
- At Muzdalifah (Maghrib + Isha)
Instead, they allow “apparent combining”—praying one prayer near the end of its time, and the next immediately after it begins.
4. Scenarios
Scenario 1: A Short Trip (3 Days)
A man travels from Edmonton to Calgary, a journey of about 295 km.
- He intends to stay for 3 days.
- According to the majority opinion, he can:
- Shorten the four-rak‘ah prayers to two
- Combine Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha, as needed
- According to Hanafi fiqh, he may shorten the prayers, but cannot combine.
Scenario 2: A Long Trip (2 Weeks)
The same person travels to Calgary for 14 days for a work assignment.
- Hanafi opinion: He may continue shortening his prayers because he has not reached 15 days.
- Majority opinion: Since he intends to stay more than 4 full days, he must pray the full prayers and cannot shorten.
- Combining: Still allowed while traveling, but not once he settles with that known duration.
Scenario 3: Uncertain Duration / Hardship Case
A man travels for work to Calgary, but:
- He does not know how long he will stay.
- He is told his trip might be for 3 days, but every few days it is extended.
- He ends up staying two weeks, but each time he intended to leave earlier.
In this case:
- According to the majority of scholars, as long as he does not intend to stay 4 full days, and his trip keeps getting extended without certainty, he continues shortening and may combine.
- This is supported by the principle of “no fixed intention to reside.”
5. When There Is Hardship
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, the religion is ease…”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, no. 39)
If someone is facing hardship, and strict adherence to one opinion causes difficulty (e.g., they are not sure about the duration, or their situation is unusual), they may take the Hanafi allowance of 15 days for shortening, even if they are otherwise following the majority opinion regarding combining.
This follows the principle in Islamic law:
“Hardship brings ease.”
(al-mashaqqah tajlib at-taysir)
Therefore, it is valid to combine between opinions when genuine need or hardship exists.
And Allah knows best.