Traveler's Salat: When the reduction should be started?

Sources

• ✓ 4:101 · An-Nisaa

  4:101 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ كَانُوا۟ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّۭا مُّبِينًۭا

  And when ye go forth in the land, it is no sin for you to curtail (your) worship if ye fear that those who disbelieve may attack you. In truth the disbelievers are an open enemy to you.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 4:101

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 4:101

  Allah, the Exalted, says: “And when you travel in the land...” meaning when you journey from place to place, as mentioned in another verse: 'He knows that some among you will be ill and others will be traveling seeking the bounty of Allah.' (Al-Muzzammil 73:20) Regarding the statement: “there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer,” this means you may lessen the prayer during travel, either by reducing the number of rak'ahs from four to two, which the majority understand based on this verse. They invoke this to support the permissibility of shortening the prayer during travel, although scholars differ on what kind of travel qualifies. Some say it must be a journey for an approved purpose like jihad, pilgrimage, seeking knowledge, visitation, etc., as reported from Ibn Umar, Ata’, and also narrated from Malik in a similar way, taking the apparent meaning of “if you fear that those who disbelieve might harm you.” Others hold that the travel need not be for religious devotion specifically, but rather any allowable journey, based on the Quranic allowance for hardship, such as eating otherwise forbidden food under duress, implying that travel must be lawful and not sinful. This view is held by al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and others among the imams. Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Waki, from al-A'mash, from Ibrahim that a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: “I am a merchant traveling frequently between two seas,” and the Prophet ordered him to pray two rak'ahs on travel. This is a mursal report. Some say any travel suffices for shortening, even if to avoid danger, like bandits or hostile roads; this was the opinion of Abu Hanifah, Al-Thawri, and Dawud, emphasizing the generality of the verse, though the majority disagree. The clause “if you fear that those who disbelieve may harm you” may reflect the historical context when early Muslims frequently faced threat in their travels, often going forth only to battle or secret expeditions, with prevailing danger surrounding their movements. Imam Ahmad reported from Ibn Abbas a question about the verse: “There is no blame upon you to shorten the prayer if you fear those who disbelieve,” when the people were secure. Umar said to him that this allowance is like charity from Allah for you, so accept it as such. This hadith, reported also by Muslim and the other major hadith collectors, clarifies that the shortening remains a mercy and concession even when fear is absent. Ibn Umar was asked about the two rak'ahs of travel prayers when safety exists, and he answered that it is the Prophet's Sunnah. Many narrations from companions including Uthman, Abu Bakr, Umar, and others affirm that the traveling prayer was two rak'ahs and complete, not deficient. This demonstrates clearly that the shortening of prayer is not conditioned on the presence of fear; rather, the intended shortening here is of its manner, not amount. Mujahid, al-Dahhak, and al-Suddi held this view, supported by a narration from Imam Malik that Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that the prayer was ordained as two rak'ahs during both travel and residence, and the prayer of residence was later increased. If the essential prayer during travel is two rak'ahs from the outset, then the phrase “there is no blame upon you to shorten” must refer to modifying the manner or method of prayer rather than the quantity. Imam Ahmad narrated from Umar: “The prayer of travel is two rak'ahs, similarly the Eid and Friday prayers are two rak'ahs, complete without shortening, as Muhammad said.” This further confirms that the travel prayer is complete with two units. Bukhari reported from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet would pray two rak'ahs twice during travel between Medina and Mecca, even when there was no fear. They stayed in Mecca for ten days. Other narrations by major scholars confirm similar practices, showing the travel prayer is established as two units without requiring fear. Al-Bukhari also related that on several occasions at Mina, the Prophet prayed two rak'ahs Zuhr and Asr, as did others who were with him. Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah narrated from Abu Awannah that Abdullah ibn Abbas said Allah ordained four rak'ahs for prayer in residence and two rak'ahs during travel, and in fear one rak'ah. This is consistent with the Prophet's practice: the prayer during travel remains as before. Therefore, this is established from Ibn Abbas and is not contradictory to what Aisha related, since she affirmed the travel prayer as two rak'ahs. It is complete and not deficient, as clearly indicated in Umar's narration. Hence, the phrase “there is no blame upon you to shorten the prayer” refers to an easing in method, not quantity, like in the prayer of fear, and so the clause “if you fear those who disbelieve” aligns with the concession of shortening method, not prayer units. After this verse, Allah commands in the next verse to establish prayer among the people with a group of them, clarifying the intended meaning and method of shortening. Juwaibir said regarding this verse that the shortening applies during combat, with a man praying two takbirs on horseback wherever he faces. Asbat narrated from al-Suddi that the prayer when performed as two rak'ahs is complete; to shorten means to reduce the prayer by one rak'ah only when one fears those who disbelieve might hinder prayer. Ibn Abi Najih narrated from Mujahid that this verse was revealed when the Prophet and companions were at Ausfan and the polytheists at Dajnan, planning to attack them. The Prophet prayed four rak'ahs with the people but was deeply concerned about an attack on their belongings. This event is reported by several companions and preferred by Ibn Jarir as the correct interpretation. Abdullah ibn Umar related that the travel prayer is two rak'ahs and complete, and the discrepancy lies in the prayer of fear, which has shortening in method. All these texts illustrate that shortening the prayer by number of units is not mandated by the text except in the prayer of fear. The travel prayer itself is two rak'ahs by original prescription, making it already shortened in amount; what the verse allows is easing the manner due to fear of enemies. This is the explanation Ibn Kathir gave on Surah An-Nisa, verse 101.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 4:101

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 4:101

  Recitation Variants: There is a reading from Abu ibn Ka'b: "there is no blame on you to shorten the prayer that the disbelievers may afflict you"—without the condition "if you fear". Some have interpreted this to mean an imperative not to let the disbelievers cause you trials, similar to the expression "God makes clear to you that you may not go astray." However, the apparent meaning in the verse suggests that shortening the prayer is only permitted in case of fear. Yet, from the Prophet's clarifications, we know that shortening is also allowed when there is no fear during travel. It may be that the mention of fear here serves a general and predominant condition because travelers often feared enemies during their journeys, and similar expressions occur elsewhere in the Qur'an. Language: The phrase "to shorten the prayer" (qassarta al-salah) appears in three linguistic forms: "qassarta" meaning "I have shortened it"—which is the language of the Qur'an; "qassartahu taqsiran" indicating a reduction; and "aqsartahu iqsaran." The verb "fatana" (to afflict with trial) for a man is used commonly among the people of Hijaz, Banu Tamim, Rabi'ah, Najd, and Asad tribes who say "aftanahu," and the man afflicted is called "fatan" or "fitan" when undergoing such a trial. The use of "al-kafirun" (the disbelievers) with the pattern "fa'il" can apply singular and plural, hence the phrase signifies a clear and manifest enmity. Meaning: "When you travel in the land" means when you journey or set out upon travel. "There is no sin upon you to shorten the prayer" means no blame or fault is upon you if you shorten your prayer. There are various interpretations about what is meant by shortening. The first and most accepted among the scholars, including Mujahid and many exegetes, as well as the majority of jurists and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), is that it is shortening the number of units ('rak'ahs') in prayer so that those prayers normally of four units are performed as two. Secondly, some say the shortening is of the fearful person's prayer; that is, there are two types of shortening: shortening from four to two in normal travel, and shortening from two to one during extreme fear—based on reports from Jabir and Mujahid, and as narrated by our scholars concerning the prayer during great fear. Thirdly, some interpret the shortening as shortening the boundaries of the prayer, meaning to perform it by gestures rather than full movements due to fear—citing Ibn Abbas and Tawus—such that during severe fear the prayer is said by nodding and the prostration is lower than bowing; if even that is not possible, then the specific praises (tasbih) suffice instead of each unit. A further opinion is that the shortening refers to combining two prayers. The strongest and soundest opinion remains the first. "If you fear that those who disbelieve will put you to trial," this means fearing the affliction or tribulation from the disbelievers that may affect your person or faith. Some say it means fearing that the disbelievers might kill you while you are praying—this is according to Ibn Abbas—and similarly, the Qur'an mentions in regard to Pharaoh's fear ("for fear that Pharaoh and his chiefs would put them to trial") meaning to kill them. Others explain it as fearing any type of punishment inflicted by the disbelievers. The phrase "the disbelievers are to you clear enemies" shows the manifest hostility they hold. On the matter of travel and shortening prayer, scholars differ: Al-Shafi'i considered shortening a concession (rukhsa), which al-Jubay'i also preferred. Abu Hanifa took it as an obligation and a definite duty—this is also the stance of the Ahl al-Bayt. For example, Zararah and Muhammad ibn Muslim relate that when asked about the nature of praying while traveling, Abu Ja'far (Imam al-Baqir or Imam al-Sadiq) said: "God states, 'And when you travel in the land, there is no sin on you to shorten the prayer,' thus traveling makes shortening mandatory, just as completeness is obligatory when at home." When questioned about the phrase "no sin on you to shorten," which seems permissive rather than an order, he explained by analogy to God’s statement about circumambulating Safa and Marwah being obligatory although it says "no blame upon him"—thus it is in fact obligatory because God prescribed it, implemented by His Prophet; likewise shortening during travel is an established practice mentioned in the Book. Regarding a traveler who prays the four units, is repetition required? They said if the verse about shortening was recited and explained to him, he must repeat. If not, and he did not know, he does not have to repeat. The traveler’s obligatory prayers are always two units, except maghrib which remains three, without shortening; the Prophet left maghrib as three units both in travel and residence. These reports indicate that the traveler's prayers differ from the resident’s, and that what is described in the Qur'an as shortening is in fact the obligatory form of travel prayer. The community unanimously agrees on this distinction and that travel prayers are not called "shortening." Some hold that fear alone permits shortening; there is scholarly disagreement. Many companions and successors maintain that the verse's mention of shortening refers to the prayer of fear during travel, not the usual travel prayer; among them are Jabir ibn Abdullah, Hudhayfah al-Yamani, Zayd ibn Thabit, Ibn Abbas, Abu Huraira, Ka'b (who lost a hand at Yamamah), Ibn Umar, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and al-Suddi. Concerning the minimum distance or limit of travel mandating shortening, our position is eight farsakhs (approx. 48 miles), but others say a journey lasting three days and nights suffices—this is the stance of Abu Hanifa and his followers. Others hold sixteen farsakhs (48 miles) as Shafi'i's view. Connection to previous verses: Since the preceding verses command Jihad and migration, this verse eases the obligation by allowing shortening prayers when traveling or in fear, as a mercy from God to His servants.