Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualaikum Brother,

My question is regarding Qasr prayer. If I am returning home from a journey and the time for zuhr prayer happens on the way. I decide to do Jam` of Zuhr with `Asr. But when I reach home, there is still time left for `Asr prayer. so how do I pray the Zuhr - do I make qada of Zuhr or do I still pray it as Qasr as the time for Zuhr prayer had finished during the journey.
Secondly is it allowed for me to delay the Zuhr prayer on a journey back home (if I find it difficult to stop on the way) so that I can do jam` of it with `Asr even if I know that when I reach home, there will be time left for `Asr prayer

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Answer:

Shorten and combine prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa verse 101:

When you go on a journey, there is no harm, if you shorten your salaat, (especially) when you fear that the disbelievers might harass you, for the disbelievers are openly bent upon enmity against you.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, to make the observance of the deen easy, the Lord Most Merciful has permitted the believers to shorten their prayers when they are on travel as stated in the above Verse of Surah Nisaa.

There are several authentic narrations that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would always shorten his prayers whenever he (saws) was on a journey. At times he (saws) would offer the shortened prayers individually at their appointed times, and at times he (saws) would combine the shortened ‘dhuhr and asr’ together, and the ‘magrib and (shortened) isha’ together. Thus regardless of whether one prays their shortened prayers while on a journey separate, or combines the ‘dhuhr and asr’ and/or the ‘magrib and isha’ prayers, he would be in accordance with the Sunnah or practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Your Question: If I am returning home from a journey and the time for zuhr prayer happens on the way. I decide to do Jam` of Zuhr with `Asr. But when I reach home, there is still time left for `Asr prayer. so how do I pray the Zuhr - do I make qada of Zuhr or do I still pray it as Qasr as the time for Zuhr prayer had finished during the journey.

If one is on a journey and the ‘dhuhr’ prayer time approaches, it would be best to offer the shortened ‘dhuhr’ prayers during the journey. If one is absolutely confident that one will be able to reach their resident city before ‘asr’ time, then it would be best to offer the full ‘asr’ prayer when they reach their city. But if one fears that they would not reach their resident city in time to offer the ‘Asr’ prayers, there is absolutely no harm in combining the shortened ‘dhuhr’ and ‘asr’ prayers while still on the journey.

But if one has delayed the ‘dhuhr’ prayers and reached their resident city at ‘asr’ time without offering the ‘dhuhr’ prayers during their journey, they would now be required to offer the ‘dhuhr’ qada prayers in full before offering the ‘asr’ on-time prayers in full.

Your Question: Secondly is it allowed for me to delay the Zuhr prayer on a journey back home (if I find it difficult to stop on the way) so that I can do jam` of it with `Asr even if I know that when I reach home, there will be time left for `Asr prayer.

Beloved brother, it is always best to offer one’s prayer on time and never ever to intentionally delay a prayer, unless and until it is a matter of life and death.

It has been reported in an authentic narration that: a man came to the Prophet (saws) and said “ O Prophet of Allah (saws), what is the act or deed most loved by Allah?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “To pray ones prayers on time.”

The man asked further: “What (deed or act is most loved by Allah) next?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “Obedience to ones parents.”

The man asked further: “What (deed or act is most loved by Allah) next?”

The Prophet (saws) replied: “Jihaad in the Way of Allah.”

Thus if one is on a journey and fears that when one reaches one’s resident city the time for ‘dhuhr’ would have elapsed, it would be best for the person to offer the shortened ‘dhuhr’ prayer during the journey and fulfill his obligatory duty to the Lord on time rather than intentionally delaying it and praying it ‘qada’ later.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan