I just want to ask about the namaaz we have to offer when we are in a journey or safr-e-namaz,
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:
I just
want to ask about the namaaz we have to offer when we are in a journey or
safr-e-namaz, I want to know whether we have to offer all the farz namaaz for
all the 5 times, and what about the isha prayer, is it necessary to offer witr
also with farz. Another thing I want to know is that safr-namaaz is for how many
periods, I mean if I have to go to another country for a month then how long
should I offer the safr-namaaz. Can you please tell me also how is the
safr-namaaz offered, the niyat for that and the rakaats for safr-namaz.
Thanking you.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Travel qasr 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: I
just want to ask about the namaaz we have to offer when we are in a journey or
safr-e-namaz
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verses 101-102:
101 When ye travel through the earth there is no blame on you if ye
shorten your prayers.
Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, to make the observance
of the deen easy, the Lord Most Merciful has permitted the believers, men and
women, 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 shorten his prayers whenever he (saws) was on a
journey. According to authentic
tradition the Prophet (saws) did not stay out of Madinah for a period longer
than 20 days at any one stretch where he (saws) did indeed shorten his prayers,
the eminent scholars and jurists in Islam have differed on exactly how many
days one may offer shortened prayers when one is on a journey, depending on
which hadith they use as their evidence for their opinion.
Some of the scholars have said four days, while others
have allowed ten, fourteen, nineteen or twenty days, while others have said
even six months and others have said that regardless of the time, as long as
one has no intention to settle down in that place, he may shorten his prayers
as long as he does not return to his place of residence! Each of the eminent scholars have given their
evidence from the Sunnah or tradition of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and of
his noble companions, thus regardless of which school or thought one prefers
over the other, as long as one has evidence from the Sunnah, it would be deemed
acceptable in Shariah.
Aishah says: "One who does not put down his
provision is to shorten the salah."
Ibn al-Mundhir states in his Ishraf:
"The people of knowledge are in agreement that a traveler may perform ‘qasr’
(shortened) prayers as long as he does not intend to stay (permanently) in a
place.’
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.112
Hafs ibn 'Ubaidullah says: "Hadrat Anas
ibn Malik (r.a.) stayed in ash-Sham for two years and he prayed the salah of a
traveler (Qasr).” Hadrat Anas (r.a.)
relates: "The companions of the Prophet (saws) stayed in Ram Hurmuz for
seven months and they shortened their salah." Al-Hassan reports: "I stayed with
'Abdurrahman ibn Samurah (r.a.) for two years in
Your Question: I
want to know whether we have to offer all the farz namaaz for all the 5 times,
Even when one is traveling and praying ‘qasr’ or shortened
prayers, the two-rakah of the obligatory ‘fajr’ prayers and the 3-rakahs of the
obligatory ‘magrib’ prayers will be prayed in full; but the four-rakahs which
one would normally pray for the ‘dhuhr’, ‘asr’ and ‘isha’ prayers will be
shortened to 2-rakahs each.
There is evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah
of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that while traveling and praying shortened
prayers, he (saws) would at times offer the prayers at their appointed times
separately; and at times he would combine the ‘dhuhr+asr’ prayers together, and
the ‘magrib+isha’ prayers together. Thus
it is absolutely permissible for one who is traveling to either pray all the
five obligatory prayers at their appointed times, or combine the prayers and
offer them at three times during the day and night…whichever is easy and
convenient for them.
Your Question: and
what about the isha prayer, is it necessary to offer witr also with farz.
It is reported that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said:
"The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the
Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people [followers]
of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer,
for Allah is One and He loves the witr.'"
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar
The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."
The ‘witr’ prayers are not considered obligatory in
Shariah, but they are without an iota of a doubt, an extremely preferred Sunnah
of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and it is reported that the Messenger of Allah
(saws) never missed his ‘witr’ prayers, regardless of whether he (saws) was
traveling or resident.
Thus it would be highly recommended and encouraged that
even when traveling, one should observe their ‘witr’ prayers; but if for any
reason, one is unable to offer them, there is no sin upon them.
Your Question: Can
you please tell me also how is the safr-namaaz offered, the niyat for that
The ‘neeyah’ or intention for any prayers is the intention
one makes in one’s heart regarding the type of prayer one wishes to offer; thus
the intention of one who is traveling and intends to pray the ‘qasr’ or
shortened prayer is simply to make intention in his heart regarding the type of
prayer he is about to offer. Just like
there is absolutely no need to make a verbal or loud intention if one were to
offer their prayers when resident, there is absolutely no need to make a verbal
or loud intention when one is traveling and intends to offer ‘qasr’ or
shortened prayers.
The way to offer one’s ‘qasr’ or shortened salaah is
exactly the same as one would offer it when one is resident, except that the
‘dhuhr’, ‘asr’, and ‘isha’ prayers will be prayed as two-rakahs instead of the
four-rakahs one would pray if he were a resident.
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
Wister