When can we perform Qasr prayers and for how many days while travelling?
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
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When
can we perform Qasr prayers and for how many days while travelling?
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Answer:
Qasr shorten prayers
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verses 101-102:
101 When ye travel through the earth there is no blame on you if ye
shorten your prayers.
Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, to make the observance
of the deen easy, the Lord Most Merciful has permitted the believers, men and
women, to shorten their prayers when they are on travel as stated in the above
Verse of Surah Nisaa.
There are several authentic narrations that the Messenger
of Allah (saws) would shorten his prayers whenever he (saws) was on a
journey. According to authentic
tradition the Prophet (saws) did not stay out of Madinah for a period longer
than 20 days at any one stretch where he (saws) did indeed shorten his prayers,
the eminent scholars and jurists in Islam have differed on exactly how many
days one may offer shortened prayers when one is on a journey, depending on
which hadith they use as their evidence for their opinion.
Some of the scholars have said four days, while others
have allowed ten, fourteen, nineteen or twenty days, while others have said
even said six months and others have said that regardless of the time, as long
as one has no intention to settle down in that place, he may shorten his
prayers as long as he does not return to his place of residence! Each of the eminent scholars have given their
evidence from the Sunnah or tradition of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and of
his noble companions, thus regardless of which school of thought one prefers
over the other, as long as one has evidence from the Sunnah, it would be deemed
acceptable in Shariah.
Aishah says: "One who does not put down
his provision is to shorten the salah."
Ibn al-Mundhir states in his Ishraf:
"The people of knowledge are in agreement that a traveler may perform ‘qasr’
(shortened) prayers as long as he does not intend to stay (permanently) in a
place.’
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.112
Hafs ibn 'Ubaidullah says: "Hadrat Anas
ibn Malik (r.a.) stayed in ash-Sham for two years and he prayed the salah of a
traveler (Qasr).” Hadrat Anas (r.a.)
relates: "The companions of the Prophet (saws) stayed in Ram Hurmuz for
seven months and they shortened their salah." Al-Hassan reports: "I stayed with 'Abdurrahman
ibn Samurah (r.a.) for two years in
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister