QUESTION:

What do the Scholars say regarding the following: Zaid’s home is in Manchester but he studies in London so stays in London for most of the year. At times, Zaid only goes to London for 2 weeks (less than 15 days) at a time.

In such an example, when will and won’t Zaid be classed as a traveller to pray qasr salah?

Questioner: Adam from UK

ANSWER:

All praises belong to Allāh, the Creator Most Sublime Who is Uncreated, the One Who granted mankind with ease, Peace and blessings of Allāh be upon the final Prophet, Our Master, Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ, upon his purified family, his esteemed companions, and whomsoever follows in his blessed footsteps until the last day.

Allāh ﷻ has said in the noble Qūr’ān:

وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ 

And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer. [Surah an-Nisa, verse 101]

Primarily know that, an individual is a traveller who leaves his area of abode with an intention to travel a distance of three days which can be interpreted as 57.5 miles (92.54km). [Bahār e Shari’at 4:76]

Since London is the place of study for Zaid, it will be considered as a place of sojourn and not his actual home.

  • If he resides in London with the intention to sojourn for less than fifteen days, he will shorten his prayer.
  • If he resides in London with the intention to sojourn for fifteen days or more, he becomes a non-traveller and performs full prayer.
  • If he is residing in London for more than fifteen days, but subsequently travels to another location and thereafter returns to London with intention to journey again within fifteen days, then he will be considered a traveller and the shortening of the prayer will be necessary upon him.
  • In the above scenario, if however he returns to London with the intention to sojourn there for fifteen days or more, then he will be considered as a non-traveller and hence he will have to perform the full prayer.

[Fatāwāh Ridawiyyah 3:669]

Answered by Ustadh Asid Shafait
Checked by Shaykh Naveed Jameel ash-Shaami

Also see:

[Q-ID0035] What if I don’t shorten my prayer (qasr) as a traveller?

[Q-ID0070] Traveller scenario [1]: my journey exceeds 57.5 miles including the return, do I shorten my prayers?

[Q-ID0660] Traveller scenario [3]: I am travelling to Pakistan, do I shorten my prayers?

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