between himself and the village, whether or not he intends to enter it. He does not shorten the prayer between the village and his journeyโs destination unless he neither enters the village nor intends to enter it.
The fourth case is treated like the second with regard to the distance between himself and the village. Between the village and his journeyโs destination, however, he shortens the prayer in all circumstances, whether or not he enters the village and whether or not he intends to enter it, since this distance requires shortening the prayer. Success comes from Allah.
Section
Journeys fall into five categories: obligatory, recommended, permissible, disliked, and forbidden. There is no disagreement about shortening the prayer on obligatory and recommended journeys. As for the remaining categories, there are three opinions. The first is that the prayer is not shortened on any of them. This is the position of some literalist scholars, and a similar opinion is reported from Ibn Masสฟลซd. The second is that it is shortened on all of them. This is the position of most literalist scholars, based on the general wording of His statement, Mighty and Majestic:
โAnd when you travel through the landโ [al-Nisฤสพ: 101].
He did not restrict this to any particular kind of journey. This is also Ibn Ziyฤdโs report from Mฤlik. The third is that the prayer is shortened on permissible journeys, but not on disliked or forbidden journeys. This is the position of the majority of scholars and the well-known position in Mฤlikโs schoolโmay Allah Most High have mercy on him.
Section
According to Mฤlikโmay Allah Most High have mercy on himโand all his followers, shortening the prayer during travel is a sunnah: observing it is meritorious, while omitting it is not sinful. According to his school, if a traveller offers the prayer in full, he must repeat it within its prescribed time if he began it intending to offer it in full, whether deliberately, out of ignorance, or because he had forgotten that he was travelling.
If, however, he begins the prayer intending to shorten it and then deliberately offers it in full, it is said that he must repeat it within its time [and it is also said that he must repeat it whether its time remains or has elapsed. There is likewise disagreement if he begins intending to offer it in full and then deliberately shortens it: it is said that he must repeat it both within its time] and after it has elapsed; and it is also said that he must repeat it only within its time.
The first opinion rests on the principle that a traveller may choose between shortening the prayer and offering it in full so long as he has not begun performing it. Once he has begun, he is bound by his initial intention, whether to shorten it or offer it in full. The second rests on the principle that he retains this choice even after beginning the prayer, and is not bound to complete it