His charity.” (1).

There is no contradiction between his two reports. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, answered that this was Allah’s charity to them, and that His religion is one of ease and leniency, ‘Umar understood that the verse did not mean reducing the number of units, as many people had understood it. He therefore said: “The travel prayer is two units—complete, not shortened.” Accordingly, the verse does not indicate that reducing the number of units is merely permissible and entails no blame, such that the worshipper may choose either to shorten the prayer or to offer it in full.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, consistently prayed two units at a time during his travels. He never prayed four, apart from what he did in some instances of the prayer of fear, which we shall discuss in its proper place and explain, Allah willing.

Anas said: “We set out with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from Medina to Mecca, and he (2) would pray two units at a time until we returned to Medina.” Recorded by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim (3).

When ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd learned that ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān had prayed four units at Minā, he said: “To Allah we belong, and to Him we return! I prayed two units with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at Minā; I prayed two units with Abū Bakr al-Siddīq at Minā; and I prayed two units with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb at Minā. If only my share of those four units were two accepted units!” Recorded by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim (4). Ibn Mas‘ūd would not have uttered those words in response to ‘Uthmān’s choosing one of two permissible alternatives between which he was free to choose,