in Madinah as four rakʿahs, and at Dhuʾl-Ḥulayfah as two.” Another wording states: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Ẓuhr in Madinah as four rakʿahs, and the ʿAsr at Dhuʾl-Ḥulayfah as two.” (1) This shows that a traveller may not shorten the prayer until he has passed beyond the inhabited houses of his village or town—or his people’s tents—and left them behind him. (2) ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) once departed and shortened the prayer while the houses were still in view; on his return he was asked, “Is this Kūfah?” He replied, “No, not until we actually enter it.” (3)
If a person sets out after the time for a given prayer has begun, he may shorten that prayer, because he travelled before its time had expired. Ibn al-Mundhir said, “Everyone from whom we have knowledge among the scholars is unanimously agreed that he may shorten it.” This is the view of Mālik, al-Awzāʿī, al-Shāfiʿī, the scholars of opinion, and it is one of the two reported opinions in the Hanbalī school. (4) And Allah knows best. (5)
(1) Agreed upon: al-Bukhari, “Book of Shortening the Prayer,” chapter “He shortens once he departs his place,” no. 1089; and “Book of Hajj,” chapter “One who spent the night at Dhu l-Hulayfa until morning,” no. 1546; and Muslim, “Book of Prayer for Travelers and Its Shortening,” chapter “The Prayer of Travelers and Its Shortening,” no. 690.
(2) See: Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 3:111; al-Sharh al-Kabir with al-Muqni, 5:44; al-Insaf with al-Muqni and al-Sharh al-Kabir, 5:44; Ibn Uthaymin, al-Sharh al-Mumti, 4:512.
(3) Al-Bukhari, “Book of Shortening the Prayer,” chapter “He shortens once he departs his place,” before hadith no. 1089.
(4) Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 3:143; see also al-Insaf by al-Mardawi, printed with al-Muqni and al-Sharh al-Kabir, 5:53. The second Hanbali report—regarded as the sound view in the school—holds that he must pray it in full; cf. al-Insaf, 5:53, and al-Mughni, 3:143.
(5) Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin preferred shortening, saying: “If the prayer time begins while he is in his town and he then travels, he may shorten it; but if the time begins while he is traveling and he then reaches his town, he must perform it in full, for the ruling follows the state at the time of performance.” Al-Sharh al-Mumti, 4:523.