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Traveller should make his prayers complete if he intends to stay more than 4 days

19-05-2001

Question 21091

I am an Algerian, and I came to Britain nearly three years ago. I have been shortening my prayers after hearing the fatwa of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) saying that there is no time limit on shortening the prayers. 

I consider myself to be waiting until the situation in my country becomes safe, then I will return. I would like you to give me a clear fatwa that applies to my situation. May Allah reward you with the best reward.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

The fatwa of the shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the traveler is allowed the dispensation of shortening and combining his prayers, and of not fasting so long as he is still considered to be a traveler because of the general meaning of the texts. This was also the view of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah before him. But the majority of scholars say that the traveler may only avail himself of the dispensations attached to travel so long as he does not intend to stay for four days or more. This is more on the safe side, and this was the fatwa of Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).

Prayer of the Traveler
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