It may also be understood from the author’s words, “whose family is with him,” that if his family are in a town, then he is a traveler, even if he remains away for a long time.

It may likewise be understood that if he intends to reside in a town, then he may shorten the prayer once he leaves it, because he is a traveler. For example, if he is a sailor on a ship and his family are in Jeddah, but he goes out roaming the seas, such as the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and returns to Jeddah after one or two months, then he is a traveler, because his family are not with him; rather, he has a town to which he returns.

Likewise, if we suppose that the sailor intends to reside in a particular town, we say to him: you are a traveler when you leave it, because you have designated a specific town for residence.

The same applies to taxi drivers who are constantly out in the open country. We say: if their families are with them and they do not intend to reside in any town, then they are not travelers; they neither shorten the prayer nor break their fast in Ramadan. But if they have families in a town, then once they leave the town where their families live, they are travelers: they may break their fast and shorten the prayer. The same is true if they have no families, but intend to reside in a town which they regard as their dwelling and refuge: they are travelers until they return to the town which they have intended as their place of residence.

If someone were to ask: These sailors and taxi drivers are constantly travelling. If we say that they are travelers and may break their fast, then when are they to fast?

We say: they can fast while travelling during the winter days, for the days are short and cool, and fasting then is not difficult. Likewise, if they arrive in