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Putting Zuhr and ‘asr together on Friday, and the ruling on putting them together without shortening them

01-10-2022

Question 131480

1.. What is the ruling on a traveller putting Zuhr and ‘Asr together on a Friday? Please note that Jumu‘ah prayer is not held in the mosques that are on the route. 2. What is the ruling on a traveller putting Zuhr and ‘Asr together without shortening the prayers, because he may catch up with two congregations, both of which pray Zuhr without shortening it?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

There is nothing wrong with a traveller putting Zuhr and ‘Asr together on a Friday, and he does not have to offer Jumu‘ah prayer on the road.

Shaykh al-Islam said: The correct view, which was that of the early generations of the ummah and of the majority, including the four imams and others, is that the traveller does not have to pray Jumu‘ah."(Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa  17/480).

Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: The traveller does not have to pray Jumu‘ah; rather he has to pray Zuhr, and there is nothing wrong with him putting Zuhr and ‘Asr together.

But if the traveller prays Jumu‘ah with the people in any city, then he cannot put ‘Asr together with it; rather he must pray ‘Asr at its time."(Majmoo‘ Fataawa 30/215).

Secondly:

There is no connection between putting prayers together and shortening them. Hence it is permissible for the traveller to put two prayers together without shortening them, just as it is permissible for him to shorten them without putting them together.

The Permanent Committee for Academic Research and Ifta’ was asked: Is it permissible for the traveller to put prayers together without shortening them, or to shorten them without putting them together?

They replied: It is permissible for him to put them together without shortening them, and to shorten them without putting them together. In his case, shortening them is better than offering them in full, because Allah, may He be exalted, likes people to avail themselves of His concessions as He likes them to do religious duties in a perfect manner. Similarly, putting prayers together whenever possible whilst travelling is better, for the reason mentioned above, and because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do that."(Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah  8/206).

Based on that, there is nothing wrong with the traveller putting Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers together without shortening them.

And Allah knows best.

Prayer of the Traveler
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