Should I delay praying margib and isha while traveling?

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Question
Salam Imam, I have heard it is sunnah to delay the isha salat, and for the other salat one should pray it as soon as the adhan is heard. When someone is traveling and decides to combine Maghrib with Isha in Isha time, is it better to pray at the beginning of Isha (e.g., ~9pm) or to delay (e.g., close to the end of the first third of the night)? It seems there is a conflict between praying Maghrib early and Isha late.

Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.

What the Sunnah actually indicates about delaying ‘Isha

  • The Prophet ﷺ sometimes delayed ‘Isha and said regarding a very late time, “This would be its (ideal) time were it not hardship upon my ummah.” (Sahih Muslim 638).
  • Reports indicate delaying to the first third or around the middle of the night (half-night). (Sunan an-Nasa’i; Sunan Ibn Majah; also Bukhari reports ‘Isha being delayed till midnight on one occasion).

Takeaway: The established Sunnah is to delay ‘Isha when it does not cause hardship, typically toward the first third or near the middle of the night—not necessarily the last third.

Also, many jurists hold that the preferred (ikhtiyari) end of ‘Isha is half-night; delaying beyond half-night without excuse is disliked.

Applying this to a traveler combining Maghrib + ‘Isha at ‘Isha time (jam‘ ta’khir)

  • When you lawfully combine in ‘Isha time, both prayers take the timing virtue of ‘Isha. There is no conflict with Maghrib being “early,” because you have chosen the Shariah-permitted option of carrying Maghrib into ‘Isha time.
  • In light of the Sunnah above, the better practice is to pray within ‘Isha time before half-night—ideally after the first third or around the middle if no hardship; otherwise, praying at the beginning of ‘Isha is perfectly fine.

Final Ruling

For a traveler combining at ‘Isha time, it is superior to pray later in ‘Isha time but before half-night (e.g., after the first third) if that causes no hardship; otherwise pray at the beginning of ‘Isha. The Sunnah to “delay ‘Isha” refers to first third/around half-night, not specifically the last third.

And Allah knows best.