The Ruling on Shortening the Prayers in the Desert
Question :
We went in a group to the desert; is it permissible for us to shorten the prayers and combine them, or not?
Answer:
If the place in the desert to which you went is far enough from your place of residence to be considered travel, then there is no objection to shortening and joining the prayers, and shortening them is better than praying them in full. As for combining them, that is a license, so whoever wished to take it may do so, and whoever wished to leave it may do so. And it involves praying the Zuhr and Asr prayers together and the Maghrib and Isha' prayers together, but leaving it is better, if the traveller is a resident and is comfortable, because the Prophet during his stay in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage shortened his prayers, but he did not combine them; he only combined them in 'Arafat and Muzdalifah due to the need for that. And when the traveller intends to stay in any place for more than four days, it is better not to shorten the prayers, but to pray them as four Rak'ahs - and that is the saying of most of the scholars. But if the period of residence is for four days or less, then shortening them is better ... and Allah is the Granter of success.
Source:
Ibn Baz
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 429-430
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