“Prayer was prescribed as two units; the prayer of those not travelling was then increased, while the prayer of travellers was left unchanged.” How, then, could anyone suppose that she would add to what Allah had prescribed and act contrary to the Messenger of Allah (1), peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions?
When ‘Urwa related this to al-Zuhrī from his father (2), from her, al-Zuhrī asked him: “Why, then, did she pray in full?” He replied: “She adopted the same interpretation as ‘Uthmān (3).” If the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had commended and approved her action, there would have been no grounds for invoking an interpretation; on that assumption, her praying in full could not properly be attributed to an interpretation.
Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, never prayed more than two units while travelling, nor did Abū Bakr (4) or ‘Umar (5). Could anyone suppose that ‘Ā’isha, the Mother of the Believers, would act contrary to them while watching them shorten their prayers? As for (6) the period after his death, peace and blessings be upon him, she prayed in full just as ‘Uthmān did, and each acted on an interpretation. Authority lies in what they narrated, not in the interpretation of any one of them when another disagreed with him. And Allah knows best.
Umayya ibn Khālid said to ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar (7): “We find the prayer of those not travelling