Qasr Prayers

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Qasr Prayers
slime
08/16/01 at 21:04:13
Salam,
I wanted to know for how much length of time can you pray Qasr prayer while travelling. Some people say 4 days, some people say 10. How many days is it exactly?
Jazakallah.
Re: Qasr Prayers
se7en
08/18/01 at 01:51:15
wa alaykum as salaam wa rahmatAllah,

Scholars differ on this issue.  From what I know there is no explicit text that mentions a limit to the number of days you can perform Qasr.  Scholars put a limit on the days based on different reports of Rasulullah [saw] performing Qasr on various days of various trips, and their determining of the level of authenticity of those reports.

does that make any sense? :)  Man, where's br assing when you need him :)

Ask someone knowledgeable in your community.. and they should be able to help you out inshaAllah :)

wAllahu 'alam

wasalaamu alaykum.

Re: Qasr Prayers
Arsalan
08/18/01 at 04:15:26
[slm]

I've also read that the Prophet (pbuh) shortened all of his prayers while he was in Makkah during Fath-al-Makkah.  And the accounts say that he was there for 3 months.

I don't know how authentic this is.  

Wallahu a'lam.
Re: Qasr Prayers
bhaloo
08/21/01 at 21:11:22
slm

I posted a good article on this issue last month, here is the link:
http://www.jannah.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl/YaBB.pl?board=masjid&action=display&num=3757

Specifically for the portion you are interested in from that article:

5. The duration for which is permissible for the Musafir to continue Qasr,
once he has settled:
This is, unfortunately another area in which there are numerous opinions yet
very little proof for those opinions.

Yahya bin Abi Ishaq reported: "I heard Anas bin Malik saying: ‘We went out
from Madinah to Makkah with the Prophet (s.A.w.) and he prayed two Raka’ah
at each time of prayer till we returned to Madinah’. Yahya bin Abi Ishaq
asked: ‘For how long did he stay in Makkah?’ Anas said: ‘For ten days’."

Jabir bin Abdullah said "The Prophet (s.A.w.) stayed at Tabuk for twenty
days; he performed Qasr during his stay."

Imran bin Hussein said: "I went on an expedition with the Prophet (s.A.w.).
and I was present with him at the conquest. He stayed eighteen days in
Makkah and prayed only two Raka’ah (Qasr). And he said : ‘You who live in
the town must pray four for we are travellers."

The opinion of Malik and as-Shafi’i is that if the Musafir decides to stay
for four days he is to offer the Tamam prayers. Abu Hanifa and Sufyan
al-Thawri are of the opinion that if he decides to stay for a period of 15
days he is to offer the Tamam prayers. And Ahmad says that if one decides to
stay for more than four days he is to offer the complete prayers. Ibn Rushd
says, the reason for these disagreement arises from the fact that the matter
is not expressly stated in the Law, and using Qiyas (analogy) for such
prescription is deemed weak by all. (Bidayat al-Mujtahid 1/357)

As-Shaukani says: "From what is true, someone who stops in a town, while
travelling and intends to become a resident (Mukim) for a number of days,
then he can no longer be called a Musafir, and for that reason he has to
perform the complete (Tamam) prayers."

According to Ibn al-Qayim, in Zad al-Mad, if a traveller intends to stay at
a certain place, he should offer his prayer in full. But if he does not
intend to stay, but vacillate to depart from that place, he should shorten
the prayer, no matter how long he remains in this condition. He says: "The
Prophet (s.A.w.) stayed in Tabuk for twenty days and during that time he
performed Qasr and he did not say that one may not do Qasr if he stays
longer than that, although there is agreement that he stayed there (Tabuk)
for that period."

Nafi’ related that "Abdullah Ibn Umar was in Azerbaijan for 6 months,
because there was snow blocking the pass, he would pray 2 Raka’ah (Qasr)."
Hafs ibn Ubaidullah says: "Anas ibn Malik stayed in as-Sham for two years
and he prayed the Qasr." Anas relates that: "The Sahabah of the Prophet
(s.A.w.) stayed in Rum Hurmuz for 7 months and they did Qasr." Al-Hassan
reports: "I stayed with Abdur Rahman ibn Samurah for two years in Kabul, and
he did Qasr but did not do Jama’". A Musafir may do Qasr as long as he is on
a journey. The four Imams agree that if one has some need to take care of
and always has the intention of leaving the next day, then he do Qasr for as
long as he is in that state. But according to one narration from as-Shafi’i,
one may do so only for 17 or 18 days and he is not to do Qasr after that
time. Ibn al-Mundhir states in his Ishraf: "The people of knowledge (Ulama’)
are in agreement that a Musafir may perform Qasr as long as he does not
intend to stay in a place, even though he stays there for years. This is the
guidance of the Prophet (s.A.w.) and his companions, and this is the correct
position. (Fiqh us Sunnah 2/219)

Another related topic is that if one arrives at a place where he would be a
potential resident, such as visiting a wife or a property (such as farms),
even if that is not his original resident, then one should complete his
prayer appropriately.

Abdullah bin Zubair reported that the prophet (s.A.w.) said: "When a person
marries in a town, he should observe the prayer of a resident (Tamam)."

Ibn Abbas said that "If one of you sees his wife or his property, therefore
complete your prayer as a resident does." According to Imam Ahmad, if a
Musafir passes a town in which his wife is residing or if he has some sort
of property, then he should offer the complete prayers unless if he is short
of time, then he could perform Qasr. This report was given by al-Muwaffaq in
al-Mughni and this is also the opinion of Ibn Abbas.

Meanwhile, az-Zuhri says: "Whenever  someone passes through a farm which he
owns, then it is obligatory for him to pray the complete prayers (Tamam)."
Al-Imam Malik says; "Whenever one passes through a district where his wife
or his property is located, then it is obligatory to complete his prayer,
even if he plans to stay there for only one day and night."

Ibn al-Qayim says, "Uthman (r.a.) had married in Makkah and their residence
of in-laws is to be treated as one’s own residence and one ceases to be a
traveller, and this was the explanation which Uthman himself gave when an
objection was raised against him, for not doing Qasr while in Makkah,
sometime during his Caliphate." (Zad al-Mad 1/269)
And Allah knows best.
NS
Re: Qasr Prayers
bhaloo
08/22/01 at 18:42:15
slm

[quote]Man, where's br assing when you need him :)
[/quote]

Alhumdullilah he is back after being away for some time and insha'Allah will be joining us here soon.  :)
Re: Qasr Prayers
assing
08/24/01 at 17:40:03
As salaamu alaykum to all my muslim brethren and sistren, well as for Sevens' question "Man, where's br assing", i was in Trinidad for about 6 weeks and i recently came back, also while i was there i got no "vibes" whatsoever to use the internet as indicated to Arshad. So, "Ah lettin' all yuh know one time...........I is ah Triniiiii!!!!!! {my contribution to the "where are you all guys from section"}. Anyways back to seriousness, as for the issue of shortening the salah while travelling one of the best clarifications i have came across regarding this topic is that of shaikh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy upon him from his transcribed explaintion of the Hanbali fiqh book "Zaad Al Mustaqna", wherein he says in vol.4 pg.526:

  "And this is an issue in which there are many differences of opinion, to the extent that there are more than 20 varing opinions amongst the people of knowledge. The reason for this is because there is no definite evidence by which to end the argument, this is why the statements of the people of knowledge may seem contradictory.
 
Thus, I {shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen} say the major opinions which people follow are:
 1.) The Hanbali madhab: wherein they say if a person intends to stay at a particular place more than 4 days then the rulings of travellers prayer no longer applies to him and he has to make his prayer in its complete form. (They base this opnion on the hadeeth in saheeh Al Bukhari narrated by Jabir who said that the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salaam} came to Makkah for the farewell Hajj on the 14th day of Dhil Hijjah and he stayed there for 4 days, shortening his prayers while there, then he left for Mina, thus if a traveller intends to stay at a place 4 days or less he shortens his prayers based on the act of the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salaam}.
 
However, shaikh Uthaymeen pointed out that this act {comming to Makkah on the 14th day and leaving after 4 days} is an act that occurred without deliberation i.e. he {sallahu alayhi wa salaam} did not intentionally choose to arrive in Makkah on that day, until it is said if one intends to make Hajj he must arrive in Makkah on that day, shorten his prayers fo 4 days while there, etc.., but it things just happened like that. Thus, this opinion was rejected due to its faulty reasoning.}

2.) The Shafi'ee madhab: if a person intends to stay at a particular place more than  4 day then he prays the complete prayer, however they do not count the day he arrives and the day he departs, thus in actuality it amounts to 6 days.

  3.) The Hanafi madhab: if one intends to stay at a place for less than 15 days he shortens his prayer, anything more than this he completes his prayer          
'
 Then there are  other opinions like that of ibn Abbas that if a person intends to stay for 19 days he shortens, any more days he does not shorten.

  However, if we return to what is appearant from the Quran and the sunnah we find that the opinion which shaikh Al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah held is the the correct one, i.e. he {ibn Taymiyyah} says in his Fatawaa vol.23 pg. 17. "As for the one who the sunnah is made clear to him and knows that the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salaam} never dictated for the traveller except that he prays two rakaats, nor did he define what is considered travel by time or by distance {meaning: he did not say if one  traverses x amount of miles he is a traveller or if one travels for x amount of hours he is considered a traveller} , thus a person shortens his prayers as long as he is considered a traveller as the salaf used to do, to such an extent that Masrooq was placed in a state {apparently by the muslim rluer in his time} which he was not pleased with, so he stayed there years shortening his salah. And the muslims stayed for 6 months at "Nahaawand" shortening their prayers........with the knowledge that their reason for stay will not end in just 4 days or more.......So as long as a person is a traveller he shortens his salah even if he stays for months in a particular place." End of ibn Taymiyyahs' quote.
 Shaikh ibn Uthaymeen went on to further strenghten the position adopted by ibn Taymiyyah by saying that: a traveller is considered a traveller whether he plans to stay more than 4 days or less. This is based on the general understanding of the evidences that indicate the "rukhas" {having a hard time finding a proper word for this in english}for the traveller without any limitation by time or distance which can be found in the Quran or the sunnah.
 From the Quran:  

"And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salât (prayer)". {An Nis'a:101}.Thus His {ta'ala} "And when you (Muslims) travel in the land" is general encompassing every form of travel.

From the sunnah: the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salaam} stayed at different places for different periods of time shortening his salah. For "he stayed in Tabuk shortening his salah for 20 days" {saheeh, Ahmad and Abu Dawud}, "he stayed in Makkah 19 days during the year he conquered Makkah shortening his salah while there" {Al Bukhari}, and "he stayed in Makkah the year of the farewell Hajj 10 days shortening his salah while there" {Al Bukhari}.
 
 Thus, we see the strongest opinion regarding this issue is that of shaikh Al Islam, as long as that person does not intend to do one of the following 2:

1.} To stay in a particular place for good, or

2.) To reside there i.e. like students, diplomats, etc..

As for the one who is aware his job or purpose of visit will end at a particular time, {like people who go on bussiness trips, seminars, conferences etc....} then such a person is a traveller.

 So what is considered travelling and who is considered a traveller is something Allah make general, {i.e. it goes back to ones' custom from what ones' people consider as travelling} and whoever limits or restricts travel then he needs to show proof {for which they have none.}

 And we {shaikh ibn Uthaymeen} have a small booklet illustrating those who choose this opinion from amongst the scholars like: ibn Taymiyyah, ibn Al Qayyim, shaikh Muhammad Abdul Wahaab, our shaikh Abdur Ar Rahmaan As Sa'adee, and shaikh Rasheed Rida. In any event we do say this is the haqq because many scholars say this is the haqq, but rather we know this is the haqq because of its agreement with the Quran and the sunnah." End of his quote.

 
I hope this small effort would help and Allah knows best.  
 


NS


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