Is a Person Who is sent Abroad, allowed to shorten and Combine the Prayers?
Question :
Is it permissible for me to combine and shorten my prayers while I am studying in Britain, and is it permissible to combine and shorten them in Ramadhan in these circumstances?
Answer:
It is permissible for the traveller to combine his prayers, if he is still on the road and it is difficult for him to stop and pray, then he may stop at the time of either one of them (i.e. Zuhr or Asr and Maghrib or 'Isha') and pray them together - either at the time of the first prayer or the time of the second.
However, if he has stopped and is staying somewhere, then he should not combine them, but should pray each of them at its stated time, either in full, or shortening them, if it is permissible for him to do so.
And it is only permissible for the traveller who is packed to travel to shorten his prayers, even though he may stop in the countryside for some need, and though he may stop within the precincts of a town, in a pavilion or a tent, while waiting to finish some urgent work, then he moves on. But if he stops in the center of a town and dismounts from his riding beast (or gets out of his car), and he has all of his needs, including all necessities and all luxuries, then it is not permissible for him in such circumstances to shorten his prayers, nor to break his fast during Ramadhan, since he cannot be described as a traveller and there is no difference between him and the residents of the city and there is no difficulty or discomfort for him in praying in full or in fasting.
Source:
Ibn Jibreen
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 438-439
Share on WhatsApp