that was the first of his caliphate. In the second year, however, he offered it in full at Minā for reasons mentioned elsewhere.

As for the hadith mentioned, there is no doubt that it is wrongly attributed to ‘Ā’ishah. Ibrāhīm ibn Muhammad is Ibn Abī Yahyā al-Madanī, the Qadarī. Both he and Talhah ibn ‘Amr al-Makkī are weak narrators by the consensus of hadith scholars; neither can be relied upon as evidence even in matters less significant than this.

It is authentically reported in the Sahīh that ‘Ā’ishah said:

“Prayers were prescribed as two rak‘ahs each. The prayer during travel was left unchanged, while the prayer when not travelling was increased.”

‘Urwah was asked, “Why, then, did ‘Ā’ishah offer the prayer in full?”

He replied, “She acted on an interpretation, just as ‘Uthmān did.”

Here, then, ‘Ā’ishah herself states that the prayer during travel consists of two rak‘ahs. Her nephew ‘Urwah, who knew her better than anyone else, explains that she offered it in full on the basis of an interpretation; she had no Sunnah report supporting that practice.

It is likewise authentically reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said:

“The prayer during travel is two rak‘ahs; the Friday prayer is two rak‘ahs; the Eid al-Fitr prayer is two rak‘ahs; and the Eid al-Adhā prayer is two rak‘ahs—complete, not shortened, as declared by your Prophet.”

Moreover, it is established through mass transmission among the Muslims that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—never prayed anything but two rak‘ahs while travelling. No one has ever reported that he prayed four. What is established from him, however, is that he both fasted and refrained from fasting while travelling; likewise, some of his Companions fasted and others did not.