for people generally, this terminology neither harms nor benefits.

In short, no one ever has an occupation that exempts him from performing the prayer at its appointed time, allowing him to delay a daytime prayer until night or a nighttime prayer until day. Rather, he must perform it within its appointed time, but according to his circumstances: he performs whatever obligatory elements he can, and whatever he cannot perform is waived. However, according to most scholars, a valid excuse permits combining the two daytime prayers or the two nighttime prayers.

According to Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and one of the two reports from Ahmad, a traveller may combine prayers when pressing on with his journey. According to the other report from Ahmad, this is not permissible; this is also the view of Abū Hanīfah. Performing each prayer at its appointed time is preferable to combining them when doing so entails no hardship. Shortening the prayer is different: according to the overwhelming majority of scholars, praying two rakʿahs is preferable to praying four. If a traveller prays four, does his prayer suffice? There are two views. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed two rakʿahs throughout all his journeys and never prayed four while travelling; neither did Abū Bakr nor ʿUmar.

He was asked:

About the work due to Allah by day which He does not accept by night, and the work due by night which He does not accept by day.