Note: The ḥadith of ʿĀʾishah just cited, as reported by the two Ṣaḥīḥs, is among the rigorously authentic narrations; yet Shaykh al-Ghumārī, in his booklet “al-Ṣubḥ al-Sāfir fī Aḥkām al-Musāfir,” not only ventured but rashly declared it weak, despite the Muslims’ unanimous recognition of its soundness. I have refuted him at length in the previously mentioned volume of al-Ṣaḥīḥah.

Regarding the distance that warrants shortening the prayer, the author says: “The vacillation between measuring by miles or by parasangs is removed by what Abū Saʿīd narrated: ‘Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ travelled a single parasang he would shorten the prayer.’ Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr recorded it, and al-Ḥāfiẓ cited it in al-Talkhīṣ, remaining silent about it.”

I say: The author was deceived by al-Ḥāfiẓ’s silence! Al-Ṣanʿānī had already done the same in Subul al-Salām, and al-Shawkānī followed suit in al-Sayl al-Jarrār 1/357. In Nayl al-Awtār, however, al-Shawkānī wavered about its reliability, commenting directly afterward, 3/176:

“Al-Ḥāfiẓ included it in al-Talkhīṣ without passing judgment upon it. If it is authentic, then the parasang is the certain limit, and nothing shorter qualifies, provided the journey is still called ‘travel’ in language or in law.”

I reply: How can it be authentic when its chain contains Abū Hārūn al-ʿAbdī, about whom al-Ḥāfiẓ states in al-Taqrīb: “Abandoned—some have branded him a liar.”

I have traced the ḥadith in Irwāʾ 3/15 through the routes of several compilers; whoever wishes may consult it.

All of this confirms that one must never be beguiled by al-Ḥāfiẓ’s silence over a report; such silence does not constitute acceptance on his part, even in Fatḥ al-Bārī—the cleanest of his works with respect to weak narrations. Perhaps for that very reason he did not cite this ḥadith there. Allah knows best.