that permits the shortening of prayer. Thus, a judge’s letter to another judge concerning what has been established before him, so that the latter may rule upon it, is not accepted if they are in the same town or in two nearby towns separated by no distance that permits the shortening of prayer. But concerning a matter upon which he has ruled, so that the recipient may enforce it, the letter is accepted even if no such distance separates them—even if they are in the same town, such as when one is in the major court and the other in the summary court. Thus, there is a distinction between the two cases.

An example of this is a judge who writes to another judge concerning what has been established before him, so that the latter may rule upon it—that is, he has heard the case and established it, and nothing remains except issuing the judgment. If he writes to another judge at the other end of the town informing him of what has been established, this is invalid and the letter is not accepted. Why? They said: because the two litigants are able to go to the judge to whom the letter is addressed and bring their case before him.

But if he writes to a judge in Riyadh concerning what has been established before him, so that the latter may rule upon it, while he himself is in Unayzah, then it is accepted, because the distance between them permits the shortening of prayer, and for the disputants to travel there may involve hardship and delay.

If someone were to say: “This reasoning also applies when he writes concerning a matter upon which he has ruled, so that it may be enforced,” the reply is as follows: They said that once he writes concerning a matter upon which he has ruled, it falls under the category of a judge’s judgment. A judge’s judgment must be enforced upon those nearby and those far away; the case has been concluded, and nothing remains but enforcement. Therefore, there is no distinction between what is near and what is distant.

Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is permissible for him to write concerning what has been established before him, so that the recipient may rule upon it, even if they are in the same town. He said: “The reason is that …”