[Q 243] Traveler’s Prayer in Hanafi Fiqh

Question

What is the ruling in terms of three travellers and one of them leading a jamaat.

Do they need to read four or two farz under Hanafi and Shaafi fiqh?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

According to Hanafi Fiqh (Fiqh Hanafi), a person who is a Shar’ee (Islamic legal) traveler is obligated to shorten (Qasr) their prayer, meaning it is mandatory to pray two rakats in place of four obligatory rakats. Furthermore, if all are Shar’ee travelers during the journey and one of them leads the prayer as Imam, then all will pray two rakats instead of four obligatory rakats.

It is stated in Mukhtasar al-Quduri: “The obligation of the traveler, according to us: in every four-rakat prayer, is two rakats; it is not permissible for him to add to them.”

(Mukhtasar al-Quduri, Chapter: Prayer of the Traveler, Page 39, Published by Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah)

It is mentioned in Bahar-e-Shariat: “It is obligatory for a traveler to shorten the prayer, i.e., to pray two rakats for the prayers that are of four rakats, and these two rakats are complete prayer for him.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, Part 4, Page 748, Maktaba al-Madinah Karachi)

Note: We are Hanafi and can only provide answers according to Hanafi Fiqh. If you need information regarding Shaafi’ Fiqh, please contact scholars knowledgeable in that jurisprudence.

Answered by: Ali Hassan Madani (Askmufti scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari