hadith reports (1): the report of Ibn ʿUmar, which is limited to situations when the pace of travel becomes intense; the report of Ibn ʿAbbās, which is restricted to occasions when the traveler is actually on the move; and the report of Anas, which carries no such limitation. The author therefore left his chapter heading unqualified, hinting that the ruling follows the unqualified report, for a restriction is merely one case within its broader scope. It is as though he considered it permissible to combine the prayers on account of travel itself—whether one is moving or stationary, whether the journey is arduous or easy. (2) Many of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) held the same view (3), and this is what the hadith evidence points to.
(1) Al-Bukhari is referring to his chapter heading, “Combining Maghrib and Isha while traveling.”
(2) Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 2:580.
(3) The scholars hold three views on combining two prayers during travel:
1. Most authorities allow unrestricted combination, performing Zuhr and Asr or Maghrib and Isha together in the time of either prayer. This is reported from many Companions, numerous Tabiʿun, and the jurists al-Thawri, al-Shafii, Ahmad, and Malik.
2. The Hanafi school permits combining only on the Day of Arafah at Arafah and the night of Muzdalifah at Muzdalifah.
3. Some permit only delayed combination (jamʿ taʾkhir); this is one narration from Ahmad and Malik and was preferred by Ibn Hazm.
The stronger view, supported by clear authentic evidence, is the first. See: Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni 3:127; al-Sharh al-Kabir (with al-Muqniʿ and al-Insaf) 5:85; Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmuʿ al-Fatawa 24:22; Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 2:580; al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 5:220; Ibn al-Mulaqqin, al-Iʿlam bi-fawaʾid ʿUmdat al-ahkam 4:71.