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The traveller's prayer

صلاة المسافر

Shortening the four-rak'ah prayers and joining prayers on a journey: how far, for how long, and where the schools differ.

Quran

The Quran lifts the blame from travellers who shorten the prayer (4:101), and Ibn 'Umar reports that in his travels with the Prophet ﷺ, and with Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman, none of them prayed more than two rak'ahs (al-Bukhari 1102).

Its agreed core is that only the four-rak'ah prayers are shortened, to two. The schools differ on whether shortening is required or a Sunnah, on the distance and the length of stay, and on joining; each step says where.

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When it applies

  1. When it applies

    The journey should be for a lawful purpose. islamweb's fatwa explains that shortening is a concession for the traveller, so a journey made in order to sin does not allow it.

    Sources: How and when the prayer is shortened (islamweb fatwa 5164)

  2. When it applies

    The journey should reach the distance of shortening.

    Where the schools differ

    For the majority it is four barids, about 83 km (some say 80), however quickly it is covered, by car or plane. For the Hanafis it is three days' journey by camel and on foot, which their scholars put at 15, 18 or 21 farsakhs.

    Sources: How and when the prayer is shortened (islamweb fatwa 5164); The Hanafi school on shortening and joining prayers (islamweb fatwa 128379)

  3. When it applies

    Begin once you have left the last houses of your town behind you; intending to travel is not enough.

    Sources: How and when the prayer is shortened (islamweb fatwa 5164); The Hanafi school on shortening and joining prayers (islamweb fatwa 128379)

  4. When it applies

    At your destination, you go on shortening unless you intend to stay long enough to count as resident.

    Where the schools differ

    For Malik, ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad, intending to stay more than four days means praying in full; Ahmad counted the days of arrival and departure, Malik and ash-Shafi'i did not. For Abu Hanifa one shortens until one intends to stay fifteen days. Ibn Taymiyyah held that one shortens as long as one has not intended to settle.

    Sources: The scholars on how long one may shorten (islamweb fatwa 5991)

Shortening

  1. Shortening

    Pray dhuhr, 'asr and 'isha as two rak'ahs each. Fajr and maghrib are not shortened.

    All four schools: description

    Sources: How and when the prayer is shortened (islamweb fatwa 5164)

  2. Shortening

    Shortening the four-rak'ah prayers.

    Hanafi: wajibMost scholars: sunnah

    Where the schools differ

    For the Hanafis shortening is wajib on a journey. For the majority it is a Sunnah and the traveller may pray in full, but shortening is better; islamweb's fatwa cites the hadith in Muslim that it is a charity Allah has given, so accept His charity.

    Sources: The Hanafi school on shortening and joining prayers (islamweb fatwa 128379); How and when the prayer is shortened (islamweb fatwa 5164)

  3. Shortening

    Praying behind an imam who is resident, you pray in full with him.

    Where the schools differ

    islamweb's fatwa states this for the Hanafis and the great majority of scholars.

    Sources: The Hanafi school on shortening and joining prayers (islamweb fatwa 128379)

Joining two prayers

  1. Joining two prayers

    Joining dhuhr with 'asr, or maghrib with 'isha, in the time of one of them. Ibn 'Abbas reports that the Prophet ﷺ joined them when he was on the move (al-Bukhari 1107).

    Where the schools differ

    The Hanafis do not allow joining for travel at all, except at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah during the Hajj. For the majority it is allowed for a reason, before or after, and islamweb's fatwa adds that not joining is better when there is no need.

    Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 1107; The Hanafi school on shortening and joining prayers (islamweb fatwa 128379); The traveller's conditions for shortening and joining (islamweb fatwa 136133)

Evidence

QuranAn-Nisaa (The Women)Quran 4:101

وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كَانُوا۟ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا ١٠١

And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer,[215] [especially] if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt [or attack] you.[216] Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy.

Translator's notes

[215] The four rakʿah prayers are shortened to two rakʿahs. [216] The example of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions illustrates that fear is not a condition for this allowance, merely travel.

Saheeh International · QuranEnc v1.1.2

Another translation: Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan · QuranEnc v1.1.2

101. And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten As-Salât (the prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you etc.), verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.

Read in context on Quran.com
Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 1102

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ صَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَانَ لاَ يَزِيدُ فِي السَّفَرِ عَلَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ كَذَلِكَ ـ رضى الله عنهم‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Umar:I accompanied Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he never offered more than two rak`at during the journey. Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman used to do the same

View on sunnah.com
Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 1107

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

وَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ طَهْمَانَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الْمُعَلِّمِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ سَيْرٍ، وَيَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer the Zuhr and `Asr prayers together on journeys, and also used to offer the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together. Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer the Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers together on journeys

View on sunnah.com
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