Chapter Nine: The Traveller's Prayer

باب صَلوةَ الْمُسَافِرِ

Bab Salat al-Musafir — Shortening and Combining Prayers During Travel

Islam is a religion of ease and practicality. In recognition of the hardships of travel, Allah has granted the traveller the concession (rukhsah) of shortening (qasr) the four-rak'at prayers (Zuhr, Asr, Isha) to two rak'ats each. This concession is not merely a permission — many scholars, following the hadith of Aisha, consider qasr the norm (sunnah) during travel, not the exception.

وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

"And when you travel through the land, there is no blame on you for shortening the prayer, if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt you." (Sūrah al-Nisāʾ 4:101)

Although this verse mentions the condition of fear (of enemies), the Sunnah established that qasr applies to all travel, not only in conditions of danger. Ya'la ibn Umayyah asked Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with both) about this, and Umar replied that he too had asked the Prophet, who said: 'It is a charity that Allah has given you, so accept His charity.' (Sahih Muslim)

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: صَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَانَ لَا يَزِيدُ فِي السَّفَرِ عَلَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ كَذَٰلِكَ

On the authority of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): 'I accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and during travel he never exceeded two rak'ats. And [likewise] Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman [also did not exceed two rak'ats in travel].' (Agreed upon: Bukhari and Muslim)

Wiping Over Khuffayn (Leather Socks)

A related concession for the traveller concerns the purification: the traveller may wipe over leather socks (khuffayn) instead of washing the feet, for a period of three days and nights (seventy-two hours), whereas the resident may do so for only one day and night (twenty-four hours).

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيَهَا لِلْمُسَافِرِ وَيَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً لِلْمُقِيمِ

On the authority of Sayyidunā ʿAlī (may Allah ennoble his face): 'The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, set three days and nights for the traveller [to wipe over socks], and one day and night for the resident.' (Sahih Muslim)