What Is the Difference Between Shortening and Combining?

Shortening

Shortening means making the four-rakah prayers two rakahs:

1. Dhuhr is two rakahs.
2. Asr is two rakahs.
3. Isha is two rakahs.

Fajr is not shortened; it remains two rakahs. Maghrib is not shortened; it remains three rakahs. This is agreed upon among the scholars.

Combining

Combining means performing two prayers in the time of one of them:

1. Dhuhr with Asr.
2. Maghrib with Isha.

Fajr is not combined with anything else. Asr is not combined with Maghrib, and Isha is not combined with Fajr.

Combining is of two types:

1. Combining at the earlier time: the two prayers are prayed in the time of the first.
2. Combining at the later time: the two prayers are prayed in the time of the second.

An Example That Clarifies the Difference

If the traveler prays Dhuhr as two rakahs in its time, then prays Asr as two rakahs in its time, he has shortened but not combined.

If he prays Dhuhr as two rakahs and then Asr as two rakahs in the time of Dhuhr, he has combined at the earlier time and shortened.

If he prays Maghrib as three rakahs and Isha as two rakahs in the time of Isha, he has combined at the later time and shortened Isha only, because Maghrib is not shortened.

What Is the Ruling on Shortening Prayer While Traveling?

Shortening prayer is an established Sunnah and the continuous guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, during his travels. It is better for the traveler than completing the prayer when the conditions of shortening are met and he is not praying behind a resident imam.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"We went out with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from Madinah to Makkah, and he would pray two rakahs, two rakahs, until we returned to Madinah." It was said to him: Did you stay in Makkah for some time? He said: "We stayed there for ten." Agreed upon.

The meaning of "two rakahs, two rakahs" is that he shortened the four-rakah prayers. As for Maghrib, it remains three, and Fajr is two rakahs.

Shortening is connected to travel itself, and is not conditioned on severe hardship. Whoever travels by plane, train, or a comfortable car on a journey where the rulings of travel apply, shortening is legislated for him.

What Is the Ruling on Combining Prayer While Traveling?

It is permissible for the traveler to combine Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha, either at the earlier time or the later time, according to what is easier for him.

Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"We went out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on the expedition of Tabuk, and he would pray Dhuhr and Asr together, and Maghrib and Isha together." Narrated by Muslim.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, set out before the sun declined, he would delay Dhuhr until the time of Asr, then he would descend and combine them. If the sun had declined before he set out, he would pray Dhuhr and then ride." Agreed upon.

Combining is a concession for ease and removing hardship. It is not a regular Sunnah that the traveler does every day without need. If he is settled in one place and can perform each prayer in its time without difficulty, then it is generally better to pray each prayer in its time while shortening. But if he is moving, tied to a flight or train schedule, fears he will not be able to stop, or faces clear hardship, then combining is easier and closer to the purpose of the concession.

When Does the Traveler Begin Shortening and Combining?

The concessions of travel do not begin merely by intending travel, preparing bags, or riding in the car inside the city. Rather, they begin after leaving the connected buildings of the town.

When the traveler has left the last connected buildings of his city or village, the ruling of travel begins for him. The scholars have transmitted agreement that whoever intends travel does not shorten until he leaves the houses of his town.

Based on this:

1. He does not shorten in his house before leaving.
2. He does not shorten while he is still moving inside the built-up area of his city.
3. If the airport is outside the built-up area of the city, he may shorten and combine after reaching it.
4. If the airport is inside the built-up area of the city, shortening does not begin until the airplane leaves the built-up area of the town.
5. The ruling of travel ends when he returns and enters the built-up area of his town.

What Travel Distance Allows Shortening?

The scholars differed over defining the travel distance. The strongest views are two:

The First View: Defining It as About Eighty Kilometers

The majority of the Malikis, Shafi'is, Hanbalis, and a group of the early scholars held that the distance for shortening is four burud, estimated in contemporary calculation at about eighty kilometers, and slightly more in some methods of estimation.

They relied on reports from Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, regarding shortening and breaking the fast at four burud and beyond.

The Second View: Returning to What Is Called Travel by Custom

Some scholars, and this was chosen by Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and a group of verifying scholars, held that the Shariah did not define a specific distance, and that the ruling is connected to what people customarily consider travel.

What Should a Muslim Do Practically?

If the trip is to a place about eighty kilometers away or more, and it is an intended trip outside the town, then it is travel according to the view of the majority.

As for short trips that people commonly make for daily needs and that are not clearly called travel, the default is to complete the prayer. Whoever is unsure about the description of his trip should complete the prayer to be safer for his responsibility, or ask a trustworthy scholar who knows the area and the local custom.

For How Many Days May a Traveler Shorten?

This is one of the most well-known issues of disagreement among the scholars, because no explicit agreed-upon text defines every form of residence by one number.

The View of the Majority of Scholars

One of the most well-known views of the majority is that a defined stay, if it exceeds four days, ends the ruling of travel. Shaykh Ibn Baz chose that whoever intends to stay four days or less may shorten, and whoever resolves to stay more than four days completes the prayer from the time he arrives. This is the practical ruling adopted in this article because it is more cautious and easier for the general public.

There are details and differences among the madhhabs about how to count the four days and whether the day of arrival and the day of departure are counted. Whoever's trip is on the borderline, or whose arrival and departure times change, should ask a trustworthy scholar about his specific travel situation.

They used as evidence that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Makkah for the Farewell Hajj on the fourth day of Dhul-Hijjah and continued shortening until he left for Mina on the eighth day.

Another Recognized View

A number of scholars, including Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Uthaymin, held that there is no fixed duration that ends the ruling of travel, and that a person remains a traveler as long as he has not intended settlement or a residence that removes him, in people's custom, from the description of traveler.

Whoever Does Not Know When His Need Will End

Whoever stays in a land waiting for a need to be completed, medical treatment, vehicle repair, or work whose end he does not know, and he has not intended a defined residence or settlement, may shorten even if the time becomes long, so long as he is waiting for his need to end and then return.

Because the issue is disputed, whoever has a long and defined stay, acting on the majority view and completing after four days is more cautious. Whoever needs to apply another recognized view should ask a trustworthy scholar about the details of his case.

How to Shorten Prayer Step by Step

If you are traveling and are not combining prayers, pray each prayer in its time as follows:

Fajr Prayer

1. You pray two rakahs.
2. There is no shortening in it, because it is already two rakahs.

Dhuhr Prayer

1. Intend Dhuhr prayer in your heart.
2. Say the opening takbir.
3. Pray two rakahs.
4. Recite the tashahhud in the second rakah and then say salam.

Asr Prayer

Pray it as two rakahs in the same way.

Maghrib Prayer

Pray it as three rakahs as it is prayed when resident; it is not shortened.

Isha Prayer

Pray it as two rakahs, then recite the tashahhud and say salam.

The traveler does not need to pronounce the intention to shorten. The intention is in the heart, and it is enough that he knows he is praying the travel prayer as two rakahs.

How to Combine Dhuhr and Asr at the Earlier Time

If Dhuhr time enters and the traveler wants to combine Asr with it:

1. He gives the adhan for prayer if he has not heard an adhan that is sufficient.
2. He gives the iqamah for Dhuhr.
3. He prays Dhuhr as two rakahs and says salam.
4. He gives the iqamah for Asr.
5. He prays Asr as two rakahs and says salam.
6. The Sunnah is to keep the two prayers consecutive, so he does not pray optional prayers between them or separate them with a long interruption.

How to Combine Dhuhr and Asr at the Later Time

If he wants to delay Dhuhr until the time of Asr:

It is more cautious to intend combining at the later time before Dhuhr time exits, because requiring this intention is an issue of disagreement among the scholars. The intention is in the heart and it is not legislated to pronounce it.

1. He delays Dhuhr until Asr time enters.
2. He gives one adhan for the two prayers when performing them.
3. He gives the iqamah for Dhuhr and prays it as two rakahs.
4. He gives the iqamah for Asr and prays it as two rakahs.
5. He preserves the order of the two prayers, beginning with Dhuhr and then Asr.

How to Combine Maghrib and Isha at the Earlier Time

If Maghrib time enters and he wants to combine Isha with it:

1. He gives one adhan.
2. He gives the iqamah for Maghrib and prays it as three rakahs.
3. He says salam from Maghrib.
4. He gives the iqamah for Isha.
5. He prays Isha as two rakahs and says salam.

How to Combine Maghrib and Isha at the Later Time

If he delays Maghrib until the time of Isha:

It is more cautious to intend combining at the later time before Maghrib time exits, to avoid the disagreement of those scholars who required that.

1. He waits until Isha time enters.
2. He gives one adhan.
3. He gives the iqamah for Maghrib and prays it as three rakahs.
4. He gives the iqamah for Isha and prays it as two rakahs.
5. He begins with Maghrib before Isha to preserve the order.

When combining two prayers, the Sunnah is that each prayer has its own iqamah, and one adhan is sufficient for both. In the hadith of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, describing the Hajj of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

"Then he gave the adhan, then he gave the iqamah and prayed Dhuhr, then he gave the iqamah and prayed Asr, and he did not pray anything between them." Narrated by Muslim.

Maintaining the order between the two prayers and keeping them consecutive, especially in combining at the earlier time, is more cautious and farther from disagreement.

Which Is Better: Combining at the Earlier Time or the Later Time?

The best is whatever is easier for the traveler and more helpful for him to perform prayer with humility and in a valid time.

1. If he will move after the first prayer time enters and it will be difficult to stop later, combining at the earlier time is more suitable.
2. If he set out before the first time entered and it will be possible to stop in the second time, combining at the later time is more suitable.
3. If he is settled and comfortable and there is no need to combine, he prays each prayer in its time and shortens the four-rakah prayers.

It is not permissible to delay the two prayers until the time of the second prayer exits. He may not delay Dhuhr and Asr until Maghrib, nor delay Maghrib and Isha until Fajr.

The Traveler Praying Behind a Resident Imam

If a traveler prays behind a resident imam, he must complete the prayer as four rakahs, even if he catches only part of the prayer with the imam, according to the majority of scholars.

Musa ibn Salamah said: I asked Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both:

"How should I pray when I am in Makkah if I do not pray with the imam? He said: Two rakahs, the Sunnah of Abu al-Qasim, peace and blessings be upon him." Narrated by Muslim.

If he prays with the resident imam, he follows his prayer and completes. If he prays alone or with a group of travelers, he shortens.

The congregational prayer does not fall from a capable man merely because of travel if the mosque is close and he can attend without considerable hardship. He should not leave the congregation in order to pray alone shortened.

The Resident Praying Behind a Traveling Imam

It is permissible for the traveler to lead residents. He prays Dhuhr, Asr, or Isha as two rakahs, then says salam. After his salam, the residents stand and complete the remaining two rakahs.

It is recommended for the traveling imam to inform the residents before or after the prayer that he is traveling, so they know they will complete.

Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, when he prayed two rakahs with the people of Makkah, would say:

"O people of Makkah, complete your prayer, for we are people who are traveling." Narrated by Malik with an authentic chain.

Prayer in the Airport

The traveler looks at the location of the airport:

1. If the airport is inside the built-up area of the city, he does not begin shortening merely by arriving there.
2. If the airport is outside the built-up area of the city, the ruling of travel has begun after leaving the town, and he may shorten and combine.
3. If he fears that he will not be able to pray in the airplane in the required manner, and he can combine the prayer in the airport at the earlier or later time, he should do what preserves his prayer.
4. He does not pray before the time enters unless he is lawfully combining it with the first prayer at the earlier time.

Prayer in an Airplane or Train

The default is that the obligatory prayer is performed standing, facing the qiblah, with bowing and prostration whenever possible.

Allah says:

{So fear Allah as much as you are able, and listen and obey and spend; it is better for yourselves. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul, it is those who will be successful} [al-Taghabun: 16].

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Imran ibn Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him:

"Pray standing. If you are not able, then sitting. If you are not able, then on your side." Narrated by al-Bukhari.

The practical order is as follows:

1. Check the prayer time and qiblah direction as much as you can.
2. If you will reach your destination before the time exits, and you can pray there completely, it is permissible to wait.
3. If you are able to combine it with another prayer, choose combining at the earlier or later time in a way that preserves the prayer.
4. If you fear the second prayer time will exit before landing, pray in the airplane within the time.
5. Face the qiblah at the opening takbir and throughout the prayer if you are able.
6. Pray standing, bowing, and prostrating if the space allows and it is safe.
7. Perform every pillar according to your ability. If you can stand but cannot prostrate, stand for recitation and bow if you can, then sit and gesture for prostration. A pillar you are able to perform does not fall because you are unable to perform another pillar.
8. If you cannot stand, pray sitting, gesture for bowing and prostration, and make your prostration lower than your bowing.
9. Do not delay the prayer until its time exits under the excuse of waiting for landing if you will not land until after the time exits.

As for voluntary prayer while traveling, the rider may pray it in the direction of travel. It is established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray voluntary prayer on his mount wherever it turned with him.

Prayer in a Car or Bus

The obligatory prayer is not prayed sitting in the car while one is able to get out and perform it standing while facing the qiblah.

When the time enters:

1. Stop in a safe place.
2. Face the qiblah.
3. Pray standing with bowing and prostration.
4. If stopping is truly impossible and you fear the time will exit, pray according to your ability, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.

It is permissible to plan combining before the journey so that the traveler is not forced to perform the obligatory prayer in a deficient manner while he is able to pray completely before boarding or after getting off.

Is Friday Prayer Obligatory for the Traveler?

The traveler is generally among those who have excuses and upon whom Friday prayer is not obligatory according to the majority of scholars. He and his companions on the road do not establish an independent Friday prayer; rather, they pray Dhuhr shortened.

But if he is staying in a town where Friday prayer is established, hears the call, and can attend without hardship, then attending is more cautious and better because it exits disagreement and allows him to witness the remembrance and gathering of Muslims. Some scholars obligated it upon the settled traveler who hears the call. If he attends, his prayer is valid and suffices for Dhuhr.

Asr is not combined with Friday prayer according to the stronger view chosen by a group of scholars, including Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin, because the Sunnah mentions combining Dhuhr with Asr, and it is not established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his companions that Asr was combined with Friday prayer. Whoever prays Friday should pray Asr in its time.

What About the Regular Sunnah Prayers While Traveling?

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, maintained the two rakahs of the Sunnah of Fajr and Witr while traveling.

As for the regular Sunnah prayers attached to Dhuhr, Maghrib, and Isha, leaving them in travel is established from his guidance, peace and blessings be upon him. There is no blame on one who prays them, because the door of voluntary prayer is broad. Duha prayer, night prayer, Witr, and other unrestricted voluntary prayers are legislated according to ability.

When combining two prayers, the Sunnah is to pray the second immediately after the first without voluntary prayer between them and without a long separation.

If the Prayer Time Enters Before Traveling, Then He Leaves Before Praying

What matters, according to the stronger view, is the person's state at the time of performing the prayer:

1. If Dhuhr time enters while he is in his town, then he leaves the built-up area before praying, he may pray Dhuhr as two rakahs while traveling.
2. If Dhuhr time enters while he is traveling, then he reaches his town before praying, he prays it as four rakahs because he performed it while resident.

This is the view of the majority of scholars.

How Does a Muslim Preserve Prayer During Travel? A Practical Program

Preserving prayer during travel begins before leaving the house, not only when the prayer time enters. These are beneficial practical steps:

First: Review Prayer Times Before Departure

Check the prayer times on the road and at the destination, and do not rely throughout the trip on the timing of the departure city, because prayer times change with location and time zones.

Second: Make a Prayer Plan Along Your Route

Before traveling, determine:

1. Which prayers will enter while you are on the road.
2. Whether you will pray each prayer in its time or need to combine.
3. Where rest stops, prayer rooms, or mosques are located.
4. Whether you will be able to pray before boarding the airplane or after landing.

Third: Choose the Combining Time Before Options Become Tight

If you know that you will not be able to stop later, combine at the earlier time after the first prayer time enters. If you will arrive or stop during the second time, combine at the later time. Do not wait until the end of the time and then begin looking for a place to pray.

Fourth: Prepare for Purification

Make wudu before boarding if that is more beneficial, and carry what helps you pray, such as a light prayer mat and clean clothing. If you do not find water after looking for it, or you are genuinely unable to use it, make tayammum for prayer according to the conditions of tayammum. As for merely wanting to avoid wudu or the normal difficulty of reaching a restroom, that is not an excuse to leave purification or prayer.

Fifth: Use Reminders Without Blind Reliance

Set prayer alerts and use a reliable app to estimate time and qiblah, but verify location and time-zone settings. In the airplane, you may seek help from the flight crew or the airplane route map, while doing what you are able.

Sixth: Look for Prayer Rooms in Airports and Stations

Many airports and stations have prayer rooms or quiet places suitable for prayer. Arriving early gives the traveler time for purification and prayer without rushing.

Seventh: Maintain Congregation

If you are with your family or Muslim companions, pray in congregation when you stop. If you are staying near a mosque and can attend without hardship, do not make the travel concession a reason to leave congregation.

Eighth: Observe Safety Without Neglecting Prayer

Do not stand for prayer in the aisle of an airplane or bus if the crew prevents that due to danger or turbulence. Wait until the danger passes as long as time remains. If you fear the time will exit, pray according to your ability.

Ninth: Teach the Family the Rulings Before the Trip

Explain to your household the difference between shortening and combining, and decide who will follow prayer times and stopping places, so prayer does not become a late decision at every prayer time.

Tenth: Do Not Make Travel an Excuse for Heedlessness

The concession changes the manner of performance or its timing in the legislated way, but it does not drop the prayer. The Muslim preserves it in the airport, airplane, road, and hotel, and uses planning and lawful combining to perform it with humility and tranquility.

Common Mistakes in Travel Prayer

1. Shortening at home before leaving the town.
2. Treating shortening and combining as the same thing.
3. Shortening Maghrib to two rakahs.
4. Combining Fajr with Dhuhr.
5. Combining Asr with Maghrib.
6. Combining all prayers at one time.
7. Delaying the two prayers until after the second prayer time exits.
8. Leaving congregation in order to pray shortened alone despite ease in attending the mosque.
9. Shortening behind a resident imam.
10. Believing that daily combining is best for the settled traveler who can perform each prayer in its time.
11. Praying sitting in the car while able to stop and get out.
12. Delaying prayer in the airplane until the time exits without knowing the landing time.
13. Beginning shortening in an airport located inside the built-up area of the city.
14. Combining Asr with Friday prayer without established evidence.