Assalamu alaikum

My question to you is about kasr as-salat [shortening prayers]. I’m driving to Canada to visit a family. It takes about 12 to 13 hours from where I live in the states to Montreal, Canada. My question is the following. Am I allowed to combine the two prayers dhuhr and ‘asr, and maghrib and ‘isha? And what about shaf`i and witr?

The other question is, if combining the prayers is allowed during the trip, is it allowed when I get there? Knowing that I will spend 4 days in Canada.

Jazakum Allah khairan

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Grantor of Mercy

All praise belongs to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon Allah’s final Messenger.

Yes, in order to remove hardship, it is permissible to combine the dhuhr and `asr prayers, shortening them as well, after departing from your town. This may be done at the beginning of the time period for both prayers, or toward its end, and it should be with one call to prayer (adhan) and two announcements of the beginning of the prayer (iqamatain). The maghrib and `isha prayers can be combined in similar fashion. Concerning the shaf’i and witr prayers [at the end of the night], the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) always prayed the witr, and always prayed two units of recommended (Sunnah) prayer before fajr, whether on a journey or while staying at home. As for the rest of the confirmed, consistently-repeated Sunnah prayers, they have not been established during travel.

As for the number of days during which it is permissible to shorten the prayer, the most correct [opinion] is that one may shorten the prayer as long as one does not intend to establish residence in the town to which he has traveled. This is the opinion chosen by Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Hafidh Ibn Hazim (may Allah have mercy on them both). 

Allah knows best.

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