Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/390)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

The correct view is that combining the prayers is permissible for a traveller. For one who is travelling onward, it is recommended; for one who is staying in a place, it is permissible but not recommended. If he combines them, there is nothing wrong with it, but if he does not, that is better.

“And for a sick person for whom not combining them entails hardship; and between the two night prayers because of rain that soaks one’s clothes, mud, or a severely cold wind, …”

His statement, “And for a sick person for whom not combining them entails hardship,” means that it is permissible for a sick person to combine the prayers when leaving them uncombined would cause him hardship—that is, fatigue and exhaustion—whatever his illness may be, whether it is a headache, pain in the back, abdomen, or skin, or anything else. The evidence for this is as follows:

The general import of Allah’s saying: “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship” [al-Baqarah 2:185], and His saying: “He has not placed upon you in the religion any hardship” [al-Hajj 22:78].
The hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, combined the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, in Medina without fear or rain.” (1) They said: Since fear and rain were absent, and this occurred in Medina, travel too was absent. Thus, nothing remains except illness—though there may have been an excuse other than illness. However, Ibn Abbas was asked, “Why did he do that?” He replied, “He wanted not to cause hardship to his ummah.” That is, he did not want them to face hardship by not combining the prayers. From this we understand that whenever a legally accountable person would face hardship by not combining the prayers, it is permissible for him to combine them. This is why the author said, “And for a sick person for whom not combining them entails hardship.”

It is understood from the author’s statement that if no hardship would result, then it is not permissible for him to combine them—and that is indeed the case.

(1) Its source has been cited above, p. 389.

والصحيح أن الجمع للمسافر جائز لكنه في حق السائر مستحب وفي حق النازل جائز غير مستحب إن جمع فلا بأس، وإن ترك فهو أفضل. وَلِمَرِيْضٍ يَلْحَقُهُ بِتَرْكِهِ مَشَقَّةٌ وَبَيْنَ العِشَاءَيْنِ لِمَطَرٍ يَبُلُّ الثِّيَابِ، وَوَحَلٍ، وَرِيْحٍ شَدِيدَةٍ بَارِدَة، ............. قوله: «ولمريض يلحقه بتركه مشقة» أي: يجوز الجمع لمريض يلحقه بترك الجمع مشقة أي تعب وإعياء، أيَّ مرض كان، سواء كان صداعاً في الرأس، أو وجعاً في الظهر، أو في البطن، أو في الجلد، أو في غير ذلك، ودليل ذلك ما يلي: ١ ـ عموم قول الله تعالى: ﴿يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ﴾ [البقرة: ١٨٥] وقوله: ﴿وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ﴾ [الحج: ٧٨]. ٢ ـ حديث ابن عباس ﵄: «جمع النبي ﷺ في المدينة بين الظهر والعصر وبين المغرب والعشاء من غير خوف ولا مطر» (١) قالوا: فإذا انتفى الخوف والمطر، وهو في المدينة انتفى السفر أيضاً، ولم يبق إلا المرض، وقد يكون هناك عذر غير المرض، ولكن ابن عباس: «سئل لماذا صنع ذلك؟ قال: أراد أن لا يحرج أمته» أي: أن لا يلحقها حرج في عدم الجمع، ومن هنا نأخذ أنه متى لحق المكلف حرج في ترك الجمع جاز له أن يجمع، ولهذا قال المؤلف: «ولمريض يلحقه بتركه مشقة». وفهم من قول المؤلف: أنه لو لم يلحقه مشقة، فإنه لا يجوز له الجمع وهو كذلك.

(١) تقدم تخريجه ص (٣٨٩).