a prayer which he is required to complete, and it becomes invalid.” His words, “and it becomes invalid,” indicate that the invalidity arose subsequently. However, if he remembers that he is without ablution, then the prayer was never validly commenced in the first place. Accordingly, he is not required to complete it. This differs from the first case: if it becomes invalid after having been validly commenced, he must complete it, as the author states.

However, this is not beyond dispute. The reason is that he was only required to complete the first prayer he began by virtue of following his imam, not as the basic ruling. Once it became invalid, that following relationship ceased, and he is required to pray only a shortened prayer. This reasoning is stronger than the reasoning they mentioned ﵏, and is therefore more likely to be correct—provided that there is no consensus to the contrary. That is, if he begins a prayer which he is required to complete, then it becomes invalid and he repeats it while in a state in which shortening is permissible, he is not required to complete it.

Issue: If the time for prayer begins while he is in his town and he then travels, he shortens the prayer. If its time begins while he is travelling and he then enters his town, he completes it, since consideration is given to his state at the time he performs the prayer.

OR HE DOES NOT INTEND TO SHORTEN IT WHEN BEGINNING IT, OR HE IS UNCERTAIN ABOUT HIS INTENTION, …

His statement: “Or he does not intend to shorten it when beginning it.”

This is the eighth issue: if he does not intend to shorten it when beginning the prayer. That is, he begins the Zuhr prayer while travelling, intending to pray Zuhr, but at that moment does not bring to mind the intention to pray it as two units. Here, the author says that he is required to complete it. This issue has three scenarios:

The first: that he intends to complete it.

The second: that he intends to shorten it.

The third: that he forgets, intending neither shortening nor completion.