then he may not shorten the prayer until he has gone out beyond it. This is because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not shorten the prayer until he had left and set out on his journey. (1)

For travel means that a person comes out into the open and departs, as has preceded: travel is leaving one’s place of residence. (2) Whoever remains in his place of residence is not a traveller.

Question: If someone is in al-Qassim and leaves for the airport, may he shorten the prayer at the airport?

Answer: Yes, he may shorten the prayer, because he has left the inhabited area of his town. All the villages surrounding the airport are separate from it. As for someone who is an inhabitant of the airport itself, he may not shorten the prayer at the airport, because he has not left the inhabited area of his town.

Question: May he break his fast at the airport?

Answer: Yes, he may break his fast. Thus, if he intends to travel during Ramadan, leaves his town, and remains at the airport waiting for the plane—by this I mean al-Qassim Airport—he may break his fast, because he has left the inhabited area of his town. If it so happens that the plane does not take off and the journey does not occur that day, must he repeat the prayer that he had shortened?

Answer: No, because he performed it in obedience to Allah’s command and in accordance with His law; therefore, it is accepted. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever performs an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected.” (3) The implication is that whoever performs an action in accordance with the command of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, has performed an accepted action.