The Book of Prayer - Travellers

كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها

Chapter 2: Shortening the prayer in Mina

Wahb al-Khuza'i reported

I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Mina, and there was the greatest number of people, and they prayed two rak'ahs on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage. (Muslim said: Haritha b. Wahb al-Khuza'i is the brother of 'Ubaidullah b. 'Umar son of Khattab from the side of his mother.)

Chapter 3: Praying in dwellings when it is raining

Ibn 'Umar announced Adhan for prayer on a cold, windy night. Then added

Pray in your dwellings; and then said: When it was a cold, rainy night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command the Mu'adhdhin to say" Pray in your dwellings."

Ibn 'Umar reported that he summoned (people) to pray on a cold, windy and rainy night, and then observed at the end of the Adhin

Pray in your dwellings, pray in your dwellings, and then said: When it was a cold night or it was raining in a journey the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to command the Mu'adhdhin to announce: Pray in your dwellings.

Ibn 'Umar reported that he summoned (people) to prayer at a place (known as) Dajnan, and the rest of the hadith is the same, and then said

Pray in your dwellings, but he did not repeat for the second time words of Ibn 'Umar (Pray in your dwellings).

'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported that he said to the Mu'adhdhin on a rainy day

When you have announced" I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," do not say:" Come to the prayer," but make this announcement:" Say prayer in your houses." He (the narrator) said that the people disapproved of it. Ibn 'Abbas said: Are you astonished at it? He (the Holy Prophet), who is better than I, did it. Jumu'a prayer is no doubt obligatory, but I do not like that I should (force you) to come out and walk in mud and slippery ground.

This hadith has been narrated by Ayyub and 'Asim al-Ahwal with the same chain of transmitters, but in this hadith it is not recorded

" i. e. the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

Chapter 4: It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers atop one’s mount when travelling, no matter what direction it is facing

Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say prayer on his camel while coming from Mecca to Medina, in whatever direction his face had turned; and its was (in this context) that this verse was revealed

" So whether you turn thither is Allah's face" (ii. 115).

Anas b. Sirin reported

We met Anas b. Malik as he came to Syria at a place known as 'Ain-al-Tamar and saw him observing prayer on the back of his donkey with his face turned in that direction. (Hammam one of the narrators) pointed towards the left of Qibla, so I said to him: I find you observing prayer towards the side other than that of Qibla. Upon this he said: Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing like this, I would not have done so at all.

Chapter 5: It is permissible to combine two prayers when traveling

Ibn 'Umar reported

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a state of hurry on a journey, he combined the sunset and 'Isha' prayers.

Salim reported from his father to be saying

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

Anas b. Malik reported

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out on a journey before the sun declined (from the meridian), he delayed the noon prayer till the afternoon prayer, and then dismounted (his ride) and combined them (noon and afternoon prayers), but if the sun had declined before his setting out on a journey, he observed the noon prayer and then mounted (the ride).

Chapter 6: Joining two prayers when not traveling

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the prayers as he set on a journey in the expedition to Tabuk. He combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer. Sa'id (one of the rawis) said to Ibn 'Abbas

What prompted him to do this? He said: He wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined in the expedition to Tabuk the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer. He (one of the narrators) said: What prompted him to do that? He (Mu'adh) replied that he (the Holy Prophet) wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed in Medina seven (rak'ahs) and eight (rak'ahs), i. e. (be combined) the noon and afternoon prayers (eight rak'ahs) and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers (seven rak'ahs).

'Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported

Ibn 'Abbas one day addressed us in the afternoon (after the afternoon prayer) till the sun disappeared and the stars appeared, and the people began to say: Prayer, prayer. A person from Banu Tamim came there. He neither slackened nor turned away, but (continued crying): Prayer, prayer. Ibn 'Abbas said: May you be deprived of your mother, do you teach me Sunnah? And then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combining the noon and afternoon prayers and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers. 'Abdullah b. Shaqiq said: Some doubt was created in my mind about it. So I came to Abu Huraira and asked him (about it) and he testified his assertion.

Chapter 7: It is permissible to leave to the right or left after finishing the prayer

Suddi reported

I asked Anas how I should turn-to the right or to the left-when I say my prayers. He said: I have very often seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turning to the right.

Chapter 9: It is disliked to start a voluntary prayer after the Mu’adhdhin has started to say Iqamah for prayer, whether that is a regular sunnah, such as the sunnah of Subh or Zuhr, or anything else, and regardless of whether he knows that he will catch up with the rak`ah with the Imam or not

A hadith like this has been reported by Ishaq with the same chain of transmitters.

Chapter 12: It is recommended to pray two rak`ah in the masjid for one who has come from a journey, when he first arrives

Ka'b b. Malik reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come back from the journey but by day in the forenoon, and when he arrived, he went first to the mosque, and having prayed two rak'ahs in it he sat down in it.

Chapter 13: It is recommended to pray Duha, the least of which is two rak`ah, the best of which is eight, and the average of which is four or six, and encouragement to do so regularly

'Urwa reported 'A'isha to be sayidg

I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing the supererogatory prayer of the forenoon, but I observed it. And if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) abandoned any act which he in fact loved to do, it was out of fear that if the people practised it constantly, it might become obligatory for them.

Mu'adha asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) how many rak'ahs Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed at the forenoon prayer. She replied

Four rak'ahs, but sometimes more as he pleased.