Combining prayers during Travel

by Asma bint Shameem 

Allaah our Rabb, has told us to strictly guard our five daily prayers and we can NOT miss them under ANY circumstances, even during travel. 

So out of His Mercy, Allaah has made the prayers EASY for us while traveling by allowing us to COMBINE our prayers and shortening them. Alhamdulillaah. 

📌 Proof:

🍃 Anas ibn Malik Radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam joined Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ prayers when traveling.”

(al-Bukhaari 1108)

🍃 And Mu’aadh radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“We went out with the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam on the campaign of Tabook, and he used to pray Dhuhr and ‘Asr together, and Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ together. (Saheeh Muslim 706)

🔺It is preferable to pray each prayer at its own time when traveling even if you’re shortening the prayer.

But if there’s any difficulty or hardship, it is perfectly ok to combine them.

📌Proof:

Ibn ‘Abbaas Radhi Allaahu anhumaa said:

“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam

prayed Dhuhr and ‘Asr together in Madeenah, at a time when there was no fear and he was not traveling.

Abu’l-Zubayr said:

I asked Sa’eed [i.e., ibn Jubayr], Why did he do that?

He said, I asked Ibn ‘Abbaas the same question, and he said:

“He did not want anyone among his ummah to suffer hardship.”

(Saheeh Muslim 705)

🍃 Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“The specific reason for shortening the prayers is traveling, and it is not permissible to shorten prayers when not traveling.

With regard to joining prayers, the reason for it is if there is a need or an excuse.

So if a person needs to do so, he may join prayers whilst traveling, whether he is traveling a long distance or a short one, and he may join prayers because of rain etc., or because of sickness etc., or for any other reason, because the point is to spare the Muslims any difficulty or hardship.”

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/293)

🍃 Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:  

“The traveler who has made a stop has the choice:

if he wishes he may join the prayers at the time of the later prayer or at the time of the earlier prayer.

But it is better for him to offer each prayer at its proper time, as the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam did in Mina during the Farewell Hajj.

He offered every prayer at its proper time because he was staying there. But if there is a need to join prayers, there is nothing wrong with it, because the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam joined prayers during the campaign to Tabook when he made a stop.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz 12/281, 282) 

🔺The ONLY prayers we’re allowed to combine are Dhuhr with Asr 

And Maghrib with Ishaa. 

We cannot combine any other prayer. 

So for example we cannot combine Ishaa with Fajr. 

Or we cannot combine Fajr with Dhuhr. 

Or Asr with Maghrib. 

We can ONLY combine Dhuhr with Asr. 

And Maghrib with Ishaa. 

🔺WHY this combination ONLY❓

Thats because this is what the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam did and taught us to do. 

📌 Proof:

🍃 Mu’aadh radhi Allaahu anhu 

said: 

“We went out with the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam on the campaign of Tabook, and he used to pray Dhuhr and ‘Asr together, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’ together. (Saheeh Muslim 706)

Remember, ALL acts of Ibaadah HAVE to have PROOFS from the Qur’aan and/or authentic ahaadeeth. 

And since we have proof for 

combining prayers in this combination ONLY, we will pray this way ONLY as well. 

🔺HOW TO COMBINE❓

We are allowed to combine  Dhuhr with Asr, in two ways;

1. At the early time (called Jam’ taqdeem)

Here we can combine Dhuhr with Asr at the time of DHUHR (and it doesn’t matter if Asr time hasn’t started yet)

OR 

2.  Combine at the later time (called Jam’ ta’kheer)

Here we may DELAY Dhuhr and combine it with Asr at the time of ASR. 

And it doesn’t matter if you didn’t pray Dhuhr at it’s time. 

That’s because you’re TRAVELING and delaying Dhuhr prayer during travel is a VALID shar’i excuse. 

And so your Dhuhr is NOT counted as  ‘qadha’ or late. 

SIMILARLY, it’s allowed that we MAY combine Maghrib with Ishaa if that’s easier. 

So we may combine Maghrib with Ishaa in two ways;

1. At the early time (called Jam’ taqdeem)

Here we can pray Maghrib with Ishaa at the time of MAGHRIB (and it doesn’t matter if Ishaa time hasn’t started yet)

OR 

2.  Combine at the later time (called Jam’ ta’kheer)

So we may DELAY Maghrib and pray it with Ishaa at the time of ISHAA’. 

And it doesn’t matter if you didn’t pray Maghrib at it’s time. 

That’s because you’re TRAVELING and delaying Maghrib prayer during travel is a VALID shar’i excuse. 

And so your Maghrib is NOT counted as ‘qadha’ or ‘late’. 

Thus Alhamdulillaah there’s NO excuse for us to miss our prayers EVER, even during travel. 

May Allaah enable us to be of those who strictly guard their prayers at ALL times. 

🍃Allaah says:

‎قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

“Successful indeed are the believers.

‎وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

“And those who strictly guard their (five daily) Salawaat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours).” 

(Surah al-Mu’minoon : 1 and 9)

And Allaah knows best

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