The prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'ahs both when one was resident and when travelling. The prayer while travelling was left according to the original prescription and the prayer of one who was resident was enhanced.
The Original Prescription of Prayer
The hadith indicates that when prayer was first ordained, it consisted of two rak'ahs for both residents and travelers. This foundational ruling demonstrates Allah's initial mercy upon the ummah, establishing a prayer that was manageable for all circumstances.
Distinction Between Traveler and Resident
The traveler's prayer remained at two rak'ahs as part of the concessions (rukhas) granted by Islamic law to ease the burden of worship during journeys. This ruling reflects the principle that "Allah desires ease for you, and does not desire hardship for you" (Qur'an 2:185).
For residents, the prayer was enhanced to four rak'ahs for Zhuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha prayers, while Fajr remained two and Maghrib remained three rak'ahs. This enhancement represents the completion of Allah's favor upon the believers.
Legal Implications
This ruling establishes that shortening prayers during travel is not a reduction from a complete state, but rather maintaining the original prescription. The resident's prayer represents an increase in reward and spiritual benefit.
Scholars agree that the traveler must shorten the four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ahs, as this was the original command and remains the ruling for those meeting the conditions of travel.
Source Reference
This commentary is based on the classical understanding of the hadith found in Sunan Abi Dawud 1198 from the book "Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Rules of Law about the Prayer during Journey" by Sunan Abi Dawud.