The Book of Prayer - Travellers

Sahih Muslim - Hadith Reference: Sahih Muslim 703 c

Hadith Text

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combining the sunset and Isha' prayers when he was in a hurry on a journey."

Scholarly Commentary

This narration establishes the permissibility of prayer combination (jam' al-salat) for travelers. The scholars have differed regarding whether this combination represents a joining of prayer times (jam' al-sura) or merely performing one prayer immediately after another (jam' al-ada'). The majority position holds that both forms are valid for travelers.

The condition of being "in a hurry" indicates that combination is not limited to absolute necessity but includes situations of genuine travel difficulty. This reflects the merciful nature of Islamic jurisprudence, which seeks to alleviate hardship while maintaining the obligation of prayer.

The combination may be performed as either taqdim (advancing the later prayer) or ta'khir (delaying the earlier prayer), though this particular narration demonstrates taqdim by performing Maghrib and Isha together at Maghrib time.

Jurisprudential Rulings

The minimum distance for travel concessions is approximately 48 miles according to most scholars. Combination is permitted throughout the journey, not merely during movement.

This concession remains valid even if the traveler prays behind a resident imam or leads residents in prayer. The resident should complete their prayers separately after the traveler has combined them.