The Traveler’s Prayer Shortening, Combining, and Wiping over Footwear

The four-unit prayers (Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr, and ʿIshāʾ) are shortened to two rakʿahs. • Maghrib remains three rakʿahs, and Fajr two. According to the majority, shortening is a confirmed Sunnah and a recommended concession; while the Ḥanafīs consider it obligatory or close to obligatory. It is prescribed for one who travels a journey that people customarily regard as travel. The majority of earlier scholars estimated it as about two stages (approximately 80–85 km). However, many precise scholars hold that the matter is determined by common usage. The stronger opinion is that it depends on what is considered travel in custom, and the shortening begins after leaving the built-up area.

The Ḥanafī School If the traveler intends to stay for 15 days or more, he performs the full prayer. • If he intends less than that, he shortens. The Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī Schools • If he intends to stay four days or more (excluding the days of arrival and departure), he performs the full prayer. • If he intends less, he shortens. • From Anas and Ibn ʿAbbās: The Prophet ﷺ stayed 19 days shortening (during the expedition of Tabūk). • In Makkah during the year of the Conquest, he stayed 17 days shortening. • In the Farewell Ḥajj, he stayed 10 days shortening. This shows that the Prophet ﷺ did not fix a specific number, but continued shortening as long as he was considered a traveler.

Preferred Opinion No fixed duration for shortening has been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. He shortened during stays of 10, 17, and 19 days. The limitation of 4 or 15 days is an ijtihād by jurists to remove uncertainty but is not based on a clear text. The stronger opinion (that of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn ʿUthaymīn): the criterion is the intention: If one intends permanent or long-term residence (such as housing, study, or fixed work), he is a resident and performs full prayers. If he is awaiting the completion of a task (war, treatment, transaction, procedures) without knowing when it ends, he remains a traveler and shortens, even if long. Evidence: ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Prayer was initially prescribed as two rakʿahs, and the traveler’s prayer remained as it was, while the resident’s prayer was increased.” (Agreed upon) Note: The regular Sunnah prayers are not prescribed in travel except for the Sunnah of Fajr and Witr. ʿĀʾishah said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never left the two rakʿahs of Fajr and Witr.” • There is no definitive legal limit for the days of shortening. • As long as a person is in the state of travel by customary understanding and has no intention of permanent residence, he may shorten the prayer, even if the duration is long. • This is the most correct and preferred view, as stated by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and supported by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.

Third Matter: Combining Prayers (Types, Rules, Ruling, and Its Relation to Shortening) Combining Prayers Legitimacy It is reported in Sahih Muslim from Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined Dhuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha in Medina without fear or rain.” When asked why, he said: “He wanted not to burden his nation.” When is it Legitimized? • In travel: it is permissible to combine either in advance (Jum‘ Taqdeem) or delay (Jum‘ Ta’khir) for necessity. • In a resident state: it is permissible for an excuse, such as rain or illness. Two Types of Combining: • Jum‘ Taqdeem (Advance Combination): ‘Asr is prayed with Dhuhr at the time of Dhuhr. • Jum‘ Ta’khir (Delayed Combination): Dhuhr is prayed with ‘Asr at the time of ‘Asr. The same applies to Maghrib and ‘Isha. No combining with Fajr. It is a concession when needed or due to hardship in travel; evidence is from the hadith of Anas: The Prophet ﷺ “When he traveled before the sun declined, he delayed Dhuhr until ‘Asr, and when he traveled after noon, he combined Dhuhr and ‘Asr.” Reported by Muslim. It is permissible to shorten without combining, and permissible to combine without shortening, but the most complete and preferred practice in most travels: shorten first, then combine if needed due to difficulty, lack of time, or continuous travel. The one praying must maintain the order and connection of the two prayers, which jurists call “Muwalat”; he calls a single adhan and performs iqama for each prayer according to the transmitted practice.

Wiping is established by the mutawatir sunnah. Its duration for the traveler is three days and nights, and for the resident one day and night, according to the hadith of Safwan ibn ‘Assal رضي الله عنه. Conditions (Summary): a) Must wear the socks or leather footwear in full purity. b) They must cover the obligatory area of the foot (the heels and what is beneath are not part of the area of washing). c) Wiping is over the surface; a wipe covering most of the foot’s surface suffices. d) The duration begins from the first state of ritual impurity after wearing, not from the moment of wiping. e) If the footwear is removed after wiping: wudu remains valid according to the preferred view, and the feet are washed in the next wudu. Cloth socks: Wiping over them is valid according to many scholars if they are thick enough for walking and cover the area of washing without showing the skin clearly. 3. What is wiped over? • Wiping is over leather socks or socks that cover the obligatory area and are walkable. • Ibn Taymiyyah: considers wiping over socks valid in all cases, even if not leather, as long as they cover. • Ibn ‘Uthaymeen: preferred wiping over cotton or wool socks if they cover the area and are walkable, even if not thick. Sixth Matter: Concise Comprehensive Evidence Aisha رضي الله عنها said: “Prayer was prescribed as two rak‘ahs, and the prayer of the traveler was confirmed, and the prayer of the resident increased.” Agreed upon. The Prophet ﷺ said regarding wiping: “For the resident, one day and night; for the traveler, three days and nights.” Reported by Muslim and other collections of Sunan. Combining prayers during travel is established in practice and narration, as in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Anas and others.