The Ruling on Shortening the Prayers and Combining Them for Soldiers Who are Residents in Foreign Countries
Question :
Is it permissible for soldiers resident in foreign countries who are serving in the armed forces to combine and shorten the prayers? And is it permissible for one who travels on a daily basis from the capital of that country to his place of work - the distance being a hundred and thirty kilometers to combine and shorten his prayers during the trip, both coming and going?
Answer:
If their residence is intended to be more than four days, then the Mathhab (of Imam Ahmad) holds that they must complete their prayers and they may not shorten them, because the license to shorten and combine the prayers is conditional upon the period of residence not being more than four days. However, if they are not resident, or they are only resident for four days or less, then they may combine and shorten their prayers, according to the most well known saying of the Mathhab.
As for the answer to the second part of the question, since their residence is in the capital of that country, it is not permissible for them to combine and shorten their prayers therein. However, if they leave it to go to their place of work, or any other place, whose distance is more than eighty kilometers, then they may avail themselves of the license of travel, which includes combining and shortening the prayers, until they return to their place of residence, so long as there is no intention to stay for more than four days - in that case, it is not permissible for them to combine and shorten the prayers.
Source:
The Permanent Committee
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 423-424
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